DanganRonpa: Captured Hope
by RoseOfInk
Summary: Hope's Rehabilitation Centre is the newest government project meant to help criminal but talented youth reform to become part of society again. According to Monokuma, that's boring. Instead of encouraging the 16 students to pay for their actions, why not let them prove they can be excellent crime masters? This calls for a killing game! All OC cast.
1. Prologue part 1

**Prologue: Prison of Entropy**

The world around me is black as ink. I don´t remember the lights going out. Actually, now that I think about it, I don't think I remember anything.

"Ugh, finally. I can go home and rest. This day went on for far too long."

 _Who…is that?_

"Dude, don't nag. Just help me get the last one in and you're done."

"Fine…"

I hear footsteps. Someone touches my head and suddenly, there is light. I gasp as my memories flood back and I feel as if I suddenly resurfaced after nearly drowning. The strange thing is, I still can't remember why I'm in a paddy wagon. I try to move my hands, only to find them cuffed. A burly man takes me roughly by my arm.

"Don't try anything funny. You talented people may be sneaky, but I've got a sharp eye too you know." He snarls at me.

I have no choice but to go along. _What is happening? Am I…being kidnapped?_

However, the man before me and the woman standing outside both wear uniforms, only confusing me further. I get little time to think as I'm being led out of the truck. The woman takes me by one of my shoulders while the man holds onto the other. Rather forcefully, the take me to the place I expected to go to the least.

A prison.

High walls surround a tower and two smaller buildings. The walls are strengthened with barbed wire, an electric fence and spears, not to mention, the walls themselves look almost ridiculously thick. Escaping seems impossible.

The only door is guarded by four more guards, who each eye me carefully. It gives me the creeps. _Why am I here? I didn't commit any crimes!_

A man holding a clipboard is standing just in front of the door, writing until the woman coughs. He looks up and gives me a creepy smile.

"So that's the last one? Huh, rather cute. Can't imagine what she did to be here, but then again, the other fifteen looked fairly innocent too. Except for a few."

At first, I'm speechless, and it's not just because he called me cute. _I…did something to be here? No, that can't be!_

"Hold up! There has to be a mistake! I don't remember doing anything wrong!" I shout, finally regaining my voice.

It's silent for a moment, until a few guards start to chuckle. The man with the clipboard smirks at me. "You're a real joker, aren't you? A bit too late to be playing dumb, isn't it?"

My mouth feels dry. _Why doesn't he believe me? Why does no one believe me!?_

A sudden pain shoots through my head and I grind my teeth. They barely notice me as the man with the clipboard continues talking.

"Yurika Heiya, eighteen years old, listed as Ultimate 3D Designer. Don't you worry girl. Once you've served your time and completed your rehabilitation, you will regain your future and your freedom. Until then…"

He gestures, and someone opens the door. The man and woman walk me inside. As the doors close behind me, the man with the clipboard calls out to me.

"Enjoy your stay at Hope's Rehabilitation Centre!"

 _Hope´s…Rehabilitation…Centre?_

The two officers take me to one of the smaller buildings as I rethink the situation. _Ok, so for some reason, I'm in this prison and I don't even know what kind of crime I committed, if I even did commit one. To be honest, I don't even remember falling asleep or something. It's like my memories got just cut off. Weird. Did someone mess with my memory? But for what reason?_

The smaller building seems to have dorms, as there are several rooms with pixelated faces on them. There is a staircase leading up to the second floor and to my annoyance, I am forced to go upstairs. When we reach the door with my pixelated picture, the woman opens the door and takes me inside.

The room itself is nice. Nothing special, of course, but there is even a desk with a computer and printer. Aside from that, my room has a bed with red sheets, a closet, a drawer with a night lamp, a couch with table and a door that presumably leads to the bathroom. Surveillance is kept with a camera and the window is barred.

As I am looking around, the lady officer unlocks my handcuffs. I immediately rub my sore wrists. She coughs and when I look up, she has some kind of tablet in her hands.

"This is your E-Book, your electronical device that will be of utmost importance to you. You can use it to take photos, get a map of the prison, see the rules, take notes and most importantly, it will be your only way to get into your room without assistance from the guards. The E-Book has a list of profiles from every classmate, including yourself, but you need to fill it out yourself. While the handbook can fill out the general character sheet and additional notes on its own, you first need to get that information by talking to people. See it as extra motivation to bound with people."

 _Bounding…as if._

"The first day of your rehabilitation will begin tomorrow. I suggest you go and meet your classmates. Oh, and don't forget to read the rules. Would be annoying if you accidentally broke one." The woman finishes before leaving me in my room. I wait until they leave before I release a shaky breath and throw myself on the couch. I open the E-Book, briefly see my name flash on screen before I'm treated to the menu. I open the rules and read them to myself.

 **The Rules and Regulations of Hope's Rehabilitation Centre**

From the day they arrived, every student is an inmate and will not be permitted to leave until the end of their rehabilitation.

Violence against the other students and those in authority is strictly forbidden and will be severely punished.

Destruction of property is forbidden.

Each student will rise at 7.00 am and will go back to their dorm at 10.00 pm. To enforce this, certain areas will be closed off at night time.

The students are free to explore the area themselves, with minimal restrictions.

More regulations will be added if necessary.

I close the E-Book and run my hand through my strawberry blonde hair. _This is a mess. Why me?_

However, even though I feel horrible, I know I can't stay moping around forever. From tomorrow on, I will be in a new class with new people. _I can better go out and meet them. First, I should check my room._

Like I thought, my room isn't anything special. As I predicted, the door leads to my own bathroom and the only thing that's interesting aside from the computer is an elastic, which I promptly use to tie up my hair. Might as well make myself look a little presentable.

When I'm done, I take a deep breath and open the door. I make sure to have my E-Book with me as I close the door. I walk down the stairs, looking at the map and trying to decide where to go first.

…And promptly crash into someone. My back lands on the stairs and I hiss in pain. _Aw! That's going to leave a bruise._

"I'm sorry! Are you okay?"

I look up and see a boy around my age standing over me. He has curly red hair and grey eyes, which he is currently using to look worried at me. I nod and try to help myself up. The boy immediately extends a hand towards me and muttering a small 'thanks' I grab it. The boy struggles, but he manages to help me up.

"Are you really okay? That looked like it hurt."

"I'm fine."

"Really?" He annoyingly pushes on. "That was quite the fall you know. And I don't want you to be in pain-"

"I'm. Fine!" I shout. The boy winces as he steps back.

"S-sorry, I just-"

 _Way to lose your temper there Yurika._ "I just may have a bruise or two. It's nothing serious. However, you could start telling me where I am."

The boy blinks. "You…don't know?"

I shrug. "All I remember is waking up in that police wagon. But for some reason I'm here. The only thing I know about this place is that I supposedly did something bad, which I can't remember either, and that I'm going into rehabilitation."

The boy goes silent and places his chin on his hand. The silence continues, and I begin to feel more and more uncomfortable. _Did…did I say something wrong?_

"Um…"

My miserable attempt to break the ice causes him to jump up. I have no idea if I spooked him or not, but at least his attention is back to me now.

"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about what you said. You seem to have memory loss, which is strange. Everyone here remembers at the very least what they did to be here. You wouldn't just forget such an important thing as your crime, so my best guess is that someone tempered with your memories. But that calls up another batch of questions. For example, why?"

 _Well, it is indeed strange that I can't remember anything._ "Maybe I should ask a guard."

"I don't think it'll be that easy." The boy says. "If someone went through the trouble to remove your memories, with or without working with the police and the government, then I don't think they're going to allow you to learn your missing memories that easily."

 _He has a point._

"Alright then, different question: what the hell is this place?"

The boy bites on his lip. "You shouldn't curse…it's not ladylike."

 _W-who does he think he is? A knight from the middle ages?_

"I can say whatever I want." I frown at him. He doesn't seem to know how to react to that, so he decides to ignore me.

"This place is Hope's Rehabilitation Centre. A government founded project meant to reform criminal youth, so they can be a part of society again. It's still in a testing phase and we are supposed to be the first group to undergo said rehabilitation. That is also the reason why all the students here are Ultimates."

"Ultimates?" I echo.

"Students who are very talented in a certain field. Wonderchildren, as one might say. Normally, we would have gotten other punishments, but since sending us to prison would be a 'waste of talent' the government agreed to fund in a prison school that would reform us, so we can bring hope to the world. The idea is that one day, every underage person, regardless of talent, can be rehabilitated and be reformed so the crime rate will lower, and children won't grow up becoming criminals."

"I do remember being quite talented in something." I note. The boy smiles. "So do I."

He then almost slaps himself for the head. "Ah, how rude. I didn't even introduce myself. I am Toshiya Inoue. My talent is the Ultimate Puzzler. I know it's a strange talent, but I am proud of it nonetheless."

 **Toshiya Inoue / Ultimate Puzzler**

"Puzzler?" I repeat confused. _I have never heard of such a talent._

Toshiya scratches the back of his head. "I…actually was supposed to be the Ultimate Detective, so I've heard. I have a cousin who works as investigator by the police and I often visited him. I ended up helping to solve a few crimes, despite my parents protesting it. The reason why I didn't get the title is…because I have hemophobia."

"Wait, isn't that blood phobia?" I ask.

He looks away and nods. "I can't help it…but every time I see blood, I faint on the spot. Because of this, I'm not fit to be a real detective and I couldn't earn my talent that way. But I'm intelligent and analytical, so I decided to solve puzzles. I won so many puzzle prizes that I got the title Ultimate Puzzler."

I can't help but laugh a little. "That sounds way more exciting than what happened to me. I didn't even know other people than my parents knew about my talent. Alright, the internet knows it too, but that doesn't really count."

At that moment, he looked straight at me. "They could have tracked you using the internet. It's not that hard to do that, you know."

 _Alright, not creepy or anything._

"Well, we're here now, nothing I can do about it." I try to shrug it off. He frowns, but decides to change the subject.

"Alright, could you tell me your name then?"

"Sure. I'm Yurika Heiya and I'm the Ultimate 3D Designer. My memories are a little fuzzy, but I have good intentions." I say with a smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. So, have you met anyone else here yet?" He asks me. I shake my head. "I was about to go out and learn everyone's name when I crashed into you."

He looks again at the ground. "S-sorry about that."

 _This guy says sorry way too much._ "I already said it was alright. Don't beat yourself up over it."

No longer interested in the ground, he looks up and gives me a warm smile. "Thank you. Well, I would love to join you, but I was already heading to my dorm…"

 _I'd prefer to get to know everyone on my own too._ "That's alright. Well, see ya."

We part ways. Or, well, he gives me a small nod before heading to his dorm. When he shuts the door, I take a small sigh, process the new information and…

…Immediately see the second student.

Sitting at a small coffee table with a book, a boy with dark blue, slick hair and cinnabar eyes appears to be reading, not even looking up from his book when I walk towards him. He is wearing a school uniform I don't recognize. A white shirt, but with a light green blazer, a moss green vest and grey trousers.

 _Wait, how did I not notice him!? It does seem like he didn't really notice me either. I probably should go and talk to him though._

"Hey, are you a student here too?" I ask, just to break the ice. The guy looks irritated as he looks up from his book.

"Why else would a teenager like I be here? Now go off and bother someone else." He

He snarls at me before returning to his book.

 _Okay, rude._

"Well, then let's cut the bullcrap. I'm new, I have the fill out the profile of everyone and that includes you. I don't care if you don't know my name, but at least give me yours, along with your talent."

The guy sighs deeply as he puts down his book and turns his head to glare at me.

"Isamu Minami. That's all. There is no necessary reason for you to know my talent. Now leave me alone."

 **Isamu Minami / Ultimate ?**

I cross my arms and nod. _What an asshole. I hope I don't have to work together with him._ Knowing my luck till now, I probably will at some point. But I try not to think about that as I walk away. Isamu immediately returns to his book.

Stepping outside, I look around to see where to go next. I could either go to the smaller building, or the bigger building. I briefly enjoy the sun on my face before making my decision. The smaller building seems like it'd be faster done, so I head for that one next.

At least, I would have if someone didn't come crashing into me.

I barely have time to react when someone shouts at me to get out of the way. Something or someone knocks me over. I hit face-first the grass. Trying to spit out any grass that got into my mouth, I slowly get up. _Really? Again? Doesn't seem like I'm really hurt though. But what was that?_

The answer lies at my feet: a girl with deep pink hair bound in two little hearts on top of her head groans as she carefully gets up. I don't know what to make of it until I see her wearing carmine and orange sport cloths. _A sporting talent? That may explain why I feel like I've been hit with a brick wall._ She doesn't look particularly buff, so I'm left wondering what her talent is.

"Ow…" She mutters. "I should have my own field for this…or maybe I should look out next time…yeah that may be good…"

She then looks up with her cobalt coloured eyes and immediately jumps to her feet. "Ah! I'm sorry! Are you hurt?"

Without even asking, she grabs my hand and pulls me with surprising ease to my feet. I stumble a bit, but I manage to keep my footing.

"I'm fine. Just shocked. I didn't expect to be hit with so much force." I say, trying to sound a bit cool. She immediately releases a breath of relief.

"Thank god. I thought I'd badly bruised you or something. Wouldn't have been the first time. But I'm happy you're okay! Oh, you look new. You're probably that last kid Toshiya was talking about. Have you met him yet? He's nice. Oh wait, haha, haven't even introduced myself." She says with an energy and speed I could never ever in my entire life compete with. Before I can even interrupt her, she continues talking.

"My name's Hanako Akiyama. I'm happy to meet you. I'm sure we'll be great friends. Oh, also, I'm the Ultimate Track Runner. I'm quite proud of it."

 **Hanako Akiyama / Ultimate Track Runner**

 _Well, that explains her high energy. She seems to be very positive too. I haven't really heard of her, but then again, I don't really care much about sport, so…_

"I didn't think the Ultimate Track Runner would run into people." It comes out of my mouth before I can stop it.

Hanako starts pouting. "Hey, that's mean. Besides, I could have avoided you if you didn't step out so suddenly."

 _She does have some sort of point…I guess._

"Sorry." I say, scratching my head. "I guess it was just an accident." _It wouldn't be good to already make enemies here. Better keep her sweet._

She pouts some more, but then she shakes her head and smiles brightly at me. "Don't worry, as long as you don't think of me as a dumb and ditsy jock, I'll forgive you."

 _What?_ "W-why would I call you that?" I exclaim surprised. She awkwardly scratches her head. "Oh, people used to make fun of me. They said I'm a ditsy girl who could have come straight out of a manga. But I want to be more than 'just a ditsy girl'. I want to be both smart and athletic at the same time. That's why I'm going to prove to the world that I'm not a dumb jock or a ditsy manga girl!"

 _This pretty much confirms her positivity. And she has an…interesting goal._

"Oh, you haven't told me your name yet! And here I am, rambling about myself." Hanako laughs.

"I'm Yurika Heiya. Ultimate 3D Designer." I state.

Hanako looks confused at me. "What's a 3D Designer?"

 _H-how does someone not know that in this day and age!?_ "A 3D Designer is someone who make 3D models on the computer, for games and for companies for example."

She slowly nods, but I can see she still doesn't really understand it. Despite that, she stretches herself.

"Sounds good I guess. In any case, I'm going to run. See you later!"

Before I even know what's happening, she takes off with a ridiculous speed. I can only watch as she quickly disappears out of sight. _Well…that was that…_

After I'm done updating their profiles, I head towards the smaller building. I place my hands on the door handles of the double doors and push them open.

 _Whelp, I'm not alone._

In the centre of what appears to be a gym, a boy with curly bronze hair looks rather worried at the ceiling. I follow his gaze, only to see a guy with pitch black hair and darker skin hanging onto one of the beams.

 _What the actual fuck._

"Hey, shouldn't you be climbing down now? It's dangerous…" The boy on the ground shouts to the other boy, who only grins.

"Hey, trust me, I'll be fine. I've done worse, remember? Besides, there is a rope, so even…"

His words trail off when he spots me looking at him. He seems to finally grow a little pale before blushing and mumbling. However, since he is distracted, his hand slips from the beam. My breath shakes as he tumbles down.

It isn't his end. Somehow, just somehow, he manages to grab the rope and swing his body around it. Once he is secure, he simply slides down. His feet hit the ground, the other boy scolds him…and the daredevil ducks away behind his friend.

"I messed up." He mumbles. The other boy, having finally noticed me, smiles softly as he speaks encouraging words to him.

 _Honestly, this whole situation is so bizarre._

"Um, hi." I speak up, taking a few steps towards them. The bronze haired boy nods and takes the hand of the other boy.

"Don't worry, I'll go first." He looks at me and gives me a bright smile. "Hi, are you new?"

I nod. "Yeah, supposedly, I'm the last person to come here."

"Ah, that explains it." The boy says. "Well, I guess we should introduce ourselves then. I'm Masato Takumi. You probably haven't heard of me, but I'm the Ultimate Marine Biologist."

 **Masato Takumi / Ultimate Marine Biologist**

 _He is right, I've never heard of him. The only thing I know about him is that he has a terrible sense of fashion. Seriously, who wears bright yellow rainboots these days? Especially with an aquamarine overall. And are those…fish pins on his overall?_

"I'm Yurika Heiya, and I'm the Ultimate 3D Designer. I doubt you know my name much more than I know yours." I try in an attempt to make him feel a little better about himself.

"Oh, I guess. Truth is, I don't even know what you mean by a '3D Designer'. Do you paint or something like that?"

"Does anyone know here what 3D Design is?" I grumble under my breath, but the other boy hears it.

"I know. At least, 3D, I mean. Um, it's like, uh, film makers…I mean, well, they use 3D for CGI and there are of course 3D films, but you probably know that already…nevermind…" The guy looks like he seriously regrets speaking up.

Masato puts a consoling hand on his shoulder. "You did much better than I did. Seriously, I should really read more of those tech magazines you have. Then again, I doubt I'd understand much anyway."

He notices me looking and he averts his eyes, blushing a little. "Ah, sorry. I was raised in a small secluded village near the sea. Most people are fishermen and never even heard of most of the technology that's used today. I'm the one who knew the most about technology and even that was very little until Kikoi here came along."

"Oh, I see."

"By the way…" he pushes his friend forward, "Kikoi still need to introduce herself. I know you can do it."

 _Oh okay…. Wait, WHAT!?_

"O-oh, um, hi. I…uh…my name is Kikoi Shicho. My talent…is…the Ultimate Stuntwoman."

 **Kikoi Shicho / Ultimate Stuntwoman**

"Wait, you're a girl!?" I almost yell. Kikoi flinches, but nods.

"Don't worry. Most…almost everyone mistakes me for a guy…boy…"

I seriously wouldn't have guessed it from her appearance. She's completely flat chested, with short and choppy black hair. She is wearing a brown tank top that almost blends in with her skin colour and she is rather muscled. Masato hands her a leather jacket, which she quickly puts on.

"So, you two know each other already?" I ask, attempting to continue the conversation.

Masato nods. "Yes. We met each other when the company Kikoi was working for decided to make an action film that included a secluded fishermen village and a dangerous sea chase. I was asked to be a figurant and to give some information over the local wildlife. On the set, between cuts, we happened to run into each other. The rest is history."

 _Hm, interesting. Come to think of it though, it's a little strange that such nice people like Kikoi, Masato and Hanako are locked up here. What kind of crime did they commit?_

Right at that moment, Kikoi tugs at Masato's overall and whispers something in his ear. He nods and looks apologetic at me. "Ah, we got to go. Well, see you later I guess."

The two of them leave the gym, Kikoi looking a little sad. _Weird. Well, now what?_

I look around the gym some more, but I don't find anything particularly interesting. There is a closet with gym equipment, but that's really it. I shrug and exit the gym. It's not like I'm sporty, so I have no reason to stay there any longer.

Next up is the big building. _Maybe it's the main building?_

A girl with short lavender hair and a blue cap is standing near the entrance. Once she sees me, she walks up to me.

"Hi," she says "you must be the last student. Am I right?"

I simply nod. _Easier than I expected._

"Thank goodness. I was waiting and waiting here, and I wasn't sure if you'd come or that I had miscalculated. I mean, I know Toshiya said…sorry, I'm rambling. I just wanted to make sure we have a full class and I really wanted to get to know everyone and fill out the profiles."

"Well…I had a similar idea…" I hesitantly say, not sure if that's the right answer. She smiles brightly.

"Another student who takes their education and rehabilitation seriously! I'm so relieved. Seriously, some of these students…"

She suddenly blushes and coughs. _This is the first person I've met that is actually excited about being here._

"I shouldn't gossip. In any case, I am Noriko Hamasaki, the Ultimate Dancer. I look forward to getting to know you!"

 **Noriko Hamasaki / Ultimate Dancer**

 _Huh, I didn't expect her to be a dancer. Then again, I might have seen her name popping up in a few places around the internet._

I realize she is wearing some kind of dance outfit. It's a blueish crop top with baggy sweatpants combination and I question myself why I didn't realize sooner she is a dancer.

"You're awfully cheery." I remark. To my surprise, her stance softens. "You think it's too much? It's the start of a new life for me…and I wanted to make a good first impression on everyone. Not to mention I want to help lead us all into a new life and a new hope."

Her stance resolves, though it's more determination than cheerfulness. "I will dedicate myself to help and support the group, that's why I need to make a good impression. However, a few around here aren't really helping."

 _It seems like she is a leadership type. I'm…not really sure how to handle people like her._

"That's cool, I guess." I respond. "My name's Yurika Heiya. Ultimate 3D Designer."

Noriko nods and takes firmly my hand. "Pleased to meet you, Yurika. I look forward to our future."

I carefully remove my hand out of my grip and excuse myself as I awkwardly try to end our conversation. Mumbling about how I still need to explore the main building, I run through the doorway and into the wall. I turn a corner before stopping right before two people. A boy with long white hair is interrupted from his conversation with a girl with silver hair in a knot with braids.

"Oh my, were you running away from something?" The boy asks. I decide to lie to avoid any embarrassing talk about why I ran away from a dancer.

"No, I'm just exploring the school and I decided to quicken my tempo. I…don't want to stay here longer than I have to."

The boy cocks his head, but then gives an understanding smile. "Oh, you don't like talking to other people like Mizuki? Are you introverted?"

"I…I guess I am a little bit introverted."

The girl with silver hair steps forth to introduce herself. "Personally, I find talking a little easier when I know the name of the person I'm taking to. My name is Mizuki Kiseki. And I am known in the world as the Ultimate Chemist.

 **Mizuki Kiseki / Ultimate Chemist**

 _I…honestly didn't expect her to be a chemist. No white lab coat, no big glasses. On the other hand, one shouldn't only trust manga for character descriptions._

Despite that, she looks nice. The cute dress and pastel colours she wears don't really seem to fit her somewhat cold personality, but then again, appearances can be deceiving.

"Ultimate Chemist, you say?" I ask, trying to spike up the conversation just a little more. She looks insulted and disappointed.

"You clearly haven't heard of me. How truly disappointing that after multiple interviews on my magnificent discoveries, there are still people who live under a rock. You are almost as bad as the fisherman and the runner." The venom drips of her words as she speaks.

 _That's hilarious, considering you don't even know_ _ **their**_ _names._ I decide to keep that comment to myself.

"Perhaps _you_ have heard of me. I'm Yurika Heiya, the Ultimate 3D Designer." I say just as coldly.

She looks straight at me; her dark eyes feel like they are piercing through my soul. "I would have said I did, but then I'd be lying."

 _Ugh, I don't like her a bit. I can't understand why the other boy hangs around her._

Speak of the devil; the guy realizes the growing tension between the two of us and decides to step in. "Hey now guys, there is no reason to fight! Who cares if you don't know each other yet! That's why we're here, to get to know each other and become friends!"

I quit the staring contest between Mizuki and I to frown at the boy. _Did he just forget we're in prison? On the other hand, he does have some sort of point. We are going to be classmates, starting tomorrow._

"Fine. Don't think I'll forget this." I say as I shoot a cold look at her. She answers my nod. "You take the words out of my mouth."

"You know what, maybe I should introduce myself!" The guy shouts, giving us a smile that seems a little forced. "I am the seeker of the stars! The explorer of the cosmos! The Ultimate Astronomer: Yoru Hoshito!"

 **Yoru Hoshito / Ultimate Astronomer**

 _Well, I could have guessed that. Any more stars on his outfit and he would practically_ _ **be**_ _a star. Purple suits him though._

The boy in question is also small. At the very least a head shorter than I am. He is pale too and his white hair doesn't really help with his complexion, though it does make his bright red eyes stand out.

"You're a cheery guy." I remark.

He nods. "Yup. Being sad is not going to get me out of here, so I might as well try to befriend everyone. Hey, do you by any chance like star gazing?"

The question kind of takes me off guard. "Um, well, I never really tried it. Though, I do stay up quite late to finish work."

The guy gasps and for a moment I'm afraid I said the wrong thing. But his eyes suddenly sparkle brighter than ever. "Oh my gosh, you too? I always stay up late to study the stars! Hey, what do you use to stay awake? I always try binge drinking energy drinks like Beast and sometimes I try mixing it with panta."

 _Holy shit…_

… _finally, someone else who knows about the art of staying awake!_

"Seriously? You should totally try more with mixing. Red Cow and coffee, now _that's_ the stuff!"

He pulls a face. "Really? I don't like coffee to be honest. Too bitter. I prefer sweet and sour stuff."

"Loads of milk and sugar. Like serious, loads. That's how I started. Then again, if you can get your hands on caffeine pills…"

"Forget it, my mom won't let me have those. She says my sleeping cycle is already horrendous."

"Well, I can't deny that…hey, where did Mizuki go?" I suddenly notice the absence of a certain chemist. Yoru looks around briefly, but then shrugs.

"She probably went somewhere else. Maybe she went to her own room. She could have become tired of socializing. Most of the friends I had were introverted. I know they eventually grow too tired of being around others."

 _Still, it's rude to just leave like that. Oh well, I guess I still need to explore the rest of the building._

"I see. I've got to go too. I still haven't explored the rest of the school yet." I end the conversation.

"That's all right. We should totally go and stargaze some time though. Well, see you later!" He cheerfully calls after me as I walk away.

I don't check over my shoulder to see if he is going away as well. I don't care enough. Instead, I look around before I remember there is a map in my E-Book. After I boot it up and select the map icon, I look which areas I haven't explored. The results are: the cafeteria, a classroom, the laundry room, the storage room, the bathrooms and a door that apparently leads to a staircase that leads to the other floors and the rooftop.

 _Alright. I need to meet 15 students. I have met 8 of them. 7 are left. Now, where to go next?_

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 **Next chapter: The introductions continue...**


	2. Prologue part 2

**I wanted to make this longer but again, this is 12 pages. well, at least I have the character introductions out of the way.**

* * *

The nearest place is the storage room, so I decide to head there first. As I approach the wooden door, I notice voices from inside. I can't help my curiously. Carefully and slowly, I open the door to peek inside. A boy with maroon hair and a girl with an orange mohawk seem to be arguing.

"You are the biggest idiot I've ever met if you seriously think that's going to work. And that's saying something."

"Oh shush, what do you know about this? You spend 90% of your life on a dumb computer."

"First of all: I know all hell of a lot more things than you think. Second, that- WAIT WHO IS THERE!?"

The boy and the girl who were arguing jump up in shock when the door creaks just too much. The girl stumbles back, accidentally pushing a box full of pulleys off the rack. The box comes crashing down, the pulleys falling out and making the loudest of sounds.

"What the hell! Why are you spying on us!?" The boy shouts angrily at me when he realizes I'm not in fact a guard. I don't have time to answer, because a guard rushes towards us.

"What is…oh, the pulleys. Now, what are you doing in here?" The guard crosses his arms when he sees the box lying on the ground. "I hope you three have a good explanation."

 _Wha- Why is he accusing me too!?_

"I didn't do anything!" I protest. "I just walked by when that box fell down!"

Seemingly believing me, he turns to the other two. The boy opens his mouth to speak, but the girl is earlier.

"We were just curious what was in here, you know. I need more decorations in my room. But then he screamed, and I tipped over the box. It's not my fault he spooked me."

As the guards looks over to the boy, I can see he is struggling. "I tried to get her out of here, since I know we aren't supposed to be in here. But she was too stubborn. I thought that girl was a guard and that gave me a bit of a shock."

The guard narrows his eyes, but then he shrugs it off. "You better get out of here and watch your steps. The next guard may not be so relent as I am."

The boy looks guilty and immediately dashes out of the room. The girl shrugs, but exits the storage room too. The guard pulls the door close and walks away, continuing his patrol.

"Jeez, you were no help." The girl sneers at me.

"What the fuck was I supposed to say then. 'Hello mister guard, I heard these two were talking pretty suspicious.' Be glad I didn't mention you might have been talking about es-"

"Don't mention that word here." The boy interrupts me. "You might get us in trouble. I'm already sour about the fact I almost had to lie, I don't want to get in trouble after all of that."

The girl rolls her eyes. "Just be glad we got off the hook. In any case, haven't seen you around. New?"

I nod. "I'm supposed to be the last student. I'm fairly sure Toshiya told everyone I would be coming. Come to think of it, how did he even know I was going to arrive?"

The boy pushes up his thin-framed glasses. "Easily. He wouldn't need to be the Ultimate Puzzler to get that since the class is supposed to be consisting out of sixteen students, eight boys and eight girls, and fifteen students had already arrived and introduced each other, there was only one girl left who had to be coming."

 _Well, that is a reasonable conclusion._

I nod in understanding and the boy grins.

"Well, allow me to introduce myself then. My name is Shinri Fujita. But that's not the best thing. My talent is the Ultimate Critic. Surely you have heard of RedReviews?"

 **Shinri Fujita / Ultimate Critic**

"Huh? That's you?" I ask him surprise. I've heard of him, but I didn't expect him to be so…scrawny. He is so thin, I fear he might collapse any moment. He is very pale too and it doesn't look like he gets much sunlight. He is dressed rather neatly though, with green blocked pants and a button up.

"Surprised? Avatars are often far different from reality. Then again, I'm probably going to update it after I get out of here…"

He starts mumbling to himself and I quickly lose interest. I look at the girl and she rolls her eyes, though she is smiling too.

"Eh, you get used to his geeky rambling."

Shinri immediately stops talking and blushes. "Hey, it's not geeky rambling. Well, actually, it is. Ugh, great job Shinri, you made a fool of yourself again." He grumbles to himself.

The girl chuckles. "Calm down. I'm just teasing you. Besides, you wouldn't have gotten internet famous if it weren't for that geeky rambling, right? Because that's what critics do, right?"

He immediately pushes up his glasses and coughs briefly. "Actually, it's more complex than that. It's also about analyzing the movie or game. Read between the lines, focus on every second. Research things to see if it makes sense. Rewrite the scripts over and over. And then conclude if the movie or game is good or not. Come up with arguments for why or why not the story, characters, setting and more are interesting. And then I still need to film and edit."

The girl laughs. "Now that's what I call a ramble."

Shinri huffs. "You know what, never mind. It's like I'm talking to a brick wall."

"Now a glass wall, that would be more accurate. Whelp, guess I should explain and introduce myself as well. The name's Homura Takenake. I'm the Ultimate Glassblower. Sup?"

 **Homura Takenake / Ultimate Glassblower**

 _She certainly looks like his complete opposite._ Where Shinri was dressed a tiny bit formal, Homura's looks could not be any more informal and then I'm not just talking about her hair. She has piercings in her ears and one in her nose, not to mention she has leather wristbands and quite the number of rings. Her white crop top is ripped on the bottom and decorated with flames, while one strap hangs loosely on her shoulder, showing a red bra strap. Her skirt is a bit short and she is wearing fishnet tights. I doubt she would be able to get more punk than this, despite the lack of black in her outfit.

 _Damn, she looks awesome._

She notices me looking and strikes a pose. "You like the style? Thought I should go all out before we get stuffed in crummy uniforms. First impression's the most important, amirite?"

"Then you have established yourself as the delinquent of the group." Shinri notes, wearing a small smirk. She mock-crosses her arms.

"Seriously? We have some fucked up people in here and _I_ am the delinquent?"

"Swearing isn't going to help prove your point."

"Dick."

 _I probably should defuse the situation. Even if they're just teasing._ "I didn't expect you'd be a glassblower."

Homura seems briefly caught off-guard, but then she puts her hands on her hips. "Heard that a million times already sweetie. I know this isn't what people think of the girl who makes glass animals, but I don't wanna compromise my style. If people don't like it, they can go suck a dick."

 _Jeez, what an attitude. I'm a bit jealous of her confidence though, it really helps her look like a badass._

"So, what's your talent then? Ultimate couch potato?" Homura asks, swaying her hips from side to side.

 _D-do I look like that much of a slacker!?_

"No, it's Ultimate 3D Designer!"

"Chill, I'm just joking around. Hey Shinri, you should start flirting with her. You're both nerds!"

"Very funny." He deadpans. "I do respect your talent though, eh…"

"Yurika Heiya. And, eh, thanks?"

He smiles at me. "3D modellers are very important in the entertainment business and I know that it's a tougher job than it looks. So, I very much respect your talent."

I can't help but smile back. "Reviewers do help us criticise our work. Without them, we wouldn't know what we're doing wrong."

Homura chuckles. "See, totally ship it!"

My stupid cheeks immediately heat up from embarrassment. "No!" We both say at the same time, awkwardly glancing at each other when we realize that. Homura sticks her tongue out.

"Forget it, I'm out of here." I grumble as I turn around to leave. I barely pay attention to Shinri's desperate attempts to convince Homura that it's not what it looks like while the girl in question can't stop giggling like a school girl. With a sigh, I turn the corner…

…And run straight into someone else. _Oh, come on! This is the third time this day! Universe, give me a rest!_

"Need a hand?" A smooth voice asks me. I nod, and grab hold of the hand that's offered to me. It takes me a moment to realize there is a spiked wristband on his wrist. When I look up to the owner of the hand, I see it's not the only thing that's spiked.

 _Is he…emo?_

Spiked collar, ripped grey jeans, spiked belt, black combat boots, ripped black shirt with a pink heart and to top it off, his black hair falls over one of his eyes and has a pink streak in it. _Just when I thought no one could dress more alternative than Homura…_

The boy laughs. "Sorry for running into you. I just heard someone talking about shipping and-"

"You can stop right there." I cut him off. _No, I'm not dealing with this bullshit._ "It was all just a stupid joke. No need to worry about that."

His eyes gain a weird glint. One that makes me want to run away. Fast. "Oh really? Then what was that joke about?"

I can feel my stupid cheeks betraying me as they heat up immediately. "W-why do you need to know that? Don't you have anything better to do? Like, practicing your talent or something?"

He chuckles. "My dear, shipping _is_ my talent."

 _Um, what?_ "Uhhh…"

"I see you don't understand. Allow me to explain. I have many names. The love guru. The living karma sutra. The lord of shippers. But, I, Ainosuke Nakamura, am known officially as one thing. The Ultimate Matchmaker."

 **Ainosuke Nakamura / Ultimate Matchmaker**

"Ultimate…Matchmaker?" I repeat confused. The boy clicks disappointed with his tongue.

"My, my…and here I thought you would know my name on the internet. How disappointing. All my fame seems to have gone over your head."

 _Oh god, please don't be as conceited as Mizuki._

"Listen, I don't really care. I may have heard of a blog that was called The Love Guru, but aside from that, I have never heard of you. And quite frankly, if you continue acting like that, I'm sure I don't even want to know of you."

To my surprise, he laughs again. "My, what a fiery tongue you have. Forgive me, I thought an Ultimate 3D Designer would spend enough time on the internet to come across my blog. Oh well, I guess you're not that much of a shipper, are you?"

I shrug, unable to deny. "I guess. I have better things to do with my time. Most things I ship are fictional characters. By the way, doesn't Ultimate Matchmaker imply that you pair up real people together?"

He grins, and a chill goes up my spine. "Why yes, I do. I have been bringing people of all ages, backgrounds and genders together since I was a little boy. I think it's beautiful to see people finding their other half and living their life together in love and harmony. Love is a universal thing that can be found in every corner of history. There isn't anything more intimate and beautiful than two people with compactible personalities entwining their paths in life together and…hey, where did she go?"

 _Ok, it might have been rude of me to just go up and leave like that, but to be honest, I'm so creeped out I don't want to spend another second listening to his ramblings. Not to mention, he somehow knew I what talent I have despite the fact I never even told him._

As I'm running down the hallways, I decide to stop by the classroom. Hopefully, he decides not to pursue after me. After a few moments of waiting, I conclude he isn't following me and I let out a sigh of relief. Since I'm in the classroom anyway, I might as well inspect it.

The classroom seems rather normal. There are sixteen desks like in any other high school class with a green board that seems wiped clean. Some student probably decided to have fun and then erased their drawing. Moving on, the windows seem normal, if it weren't for the fact that they seem to open from the top. As I come closer, I notice one of the windows is broken. It's held in place with a rope on each side. I look up and reach with my fingers to it.

"BOO!"

I yelp and stumble away, tripping and falling in the process. I rub my sore hand, gritting my teeth in irritation when laughter erupts from above me. A guy with orange spikey hair that couldn't be more anime-looking is laughing is ass off.

"Haha! You should have seen your face! Oh, it was priceless!"

"Very funny." I scoff. "Do you want a sticker now?"

"…Do you really have one? Wait, no, I mean, you need one that says donkey!"

I roll my eyes as I get up. The guy who spooked me is trying to figure out what he wants to say, nervously laughing. When he meets my gaze, he is quiet for a moment before a smile creeps up his face.

"Hel-lo nurse! Are you the Ultimate Cutie?" He asks as he moves closer and cups my chin with one smooth move. "Because you're certainly talented in that aspect."

"Eep!" I shriek as I slap his hand away. "What the hell is wrong with you!? Just going up and doing something like that!? Are you the Ultimate Pervert or something!?"

The guy takes a step back and holds a hand over his chest. "Rejected…again. Ow, and I thought the Ultimate Hottie would score a date here."

"Well, he must not be here then, because I only see the Ultimate Idiot."

To my surprise, he laughs. "Good one! In any case, for reals this time, name's Yuyami Shiai. You probably know me as the Ultimate Hockey Player though."

 **Yuyami Shiai / Ultimate Hockey Player**

 _I guess I have heard of him. But I'm not going to give him the satisfaction._ "Never heard of you."

He immediately crosses his arms. "Liar. Everyone knows me, so you should know me too."

 _What is he, five?_ "Sorry to hurt your feelings, Highness."

To my surprise, he grins in return. "I like that name. How about I call you Princess?"

"Wha, no! My name is Yurika!"

"Too bad Princess, you're stuck with that name now. Well, see ya later Princess!" He giggles as he walks out of the classroom. I cross my arms and pout. "Idiot…"

My patience is starting to wear out and so is my energy. Luckily, only three students are left. Now I only need to find them. I open the map on my E-Book and take another look. The laundry room, the cafeteria and the rooftop are left. Since the laundry room is the closest by, I head for it next.

"MOTHERFUCKER!"

There is a guy with long dark green hair in the laundry room with his hair stuck in one of the machines. He angrily kicks it, but naturally, that doesn't help him one bit.

"Let fucking go!" He yells, but his hair refuses. Against my better judgement, I approach him. "You look like you need help."

He glances at me, yellow eyes filled with rage. "You look like you need to fuck off!"

 _Ok, question to myself: do I really want to talk to another asshole again?_ I turn around to leave while the guy keeps cursing like a sailor. I'm almost out of the room when I stop. _Curse you, conscience!_

I spin around with a deep sigh and walk straight at him. I kneel next to him and try to unwrap his hair out of the two pieces of metal he somehow got it stuck in. He realizes what I'm doing after a few seconds. "Just…fuck off. I can do this myself."

With one last sharp tug, I free him. He stumbles back a bit and falls down, hissing over the pain of having his hair ripped out. "Aw…you didn't even fucking listen. I could have freed myself. I don't need…"

 _I've heard enough._ This time, I'm really done with him. With one last glare, I turn around.

"Woah, wait! Hey, don't fucking…hey, stop!" He yells at me. Surprised, I look over my shoulder. He looks at the ground, as if he isn't sure what to say. "…Thanks, I guess."

His words turn into mumbles, but I get he is trying to apologize. I think he is. _At least he isn't as bad as Isamu._

"What's your name?" He changes the subject. He is still red from embarrassment. "Yurika Heiya. Ultimate 3D Designer." I answer.

"…Name's fucking Tomoe Yamamoto. Talent's the Ultimate Geologist. Laugh and I'll kill you." He says as he stands up, straightens his back and crosses his arms.

 **Tomoe Yamamoto / Ultimate Geologist**

Now that he has stood up, I can see just how tall and muscular he is. He could have easily passed for a bodybuilder or a wrester, so I'm left wondering why his talent isn't related to sport. Although, his tank top and cargo pants look dirty and worn, like he has walked through forests and mountains with them.

My mouth is faster than my brain. "Damn, you're muscular."

He turns his head away. "Whadda thought? That I'd be a scrawny nerd like Shinri? Fuck that. Geology's fucking hard without strength, stamina and equipment. Especially when your specialty's mines and mountains."

"I didn't know there were specialties within geology." I quip, casually interested.

"It's not exactly specialties, but since geology's as broad as the fucking earth, you do get stuck on certain subjects. Many non-geologists take geology because it's helpful to their field, like urban planning and environmental studies." He explains. I nod along.

"I'm the only 3D Designer I know, so I really don't know what kind of specialties are in my field, but I think that's pretty cool."

Even though he isn't facing me, I can see his cheeks heating up. He quickly changes subject. "You mean you are self-taught?"

I'm not sure if he notices the glint in my eyes, but honestly, I don't care. "Yup, totally! Came across a demo of a 3D program and I got hooked. I used my own experiences and YouBlue as a teacher."

He briefly looks at me, smiles a little and then walks away. "Then you must know enough about being on your own. Take care."

I stare as he disappears from the doorway. I'm starting to feel very, very tired. This day needs to be over. ASAP.

Despite that, I walk out and try to see if I can spot the last two students. When I approach the cafeteria, I see Yuyami standing just outside of it. The moment he spots me, he winks at me. _No, no, no, no! I am not dealing with more of his bullshit!_

I storm away before he can even think of following me. I spot the door to the staircase and quickly dash into it. There I wait.

Nothing.

Relief washes over me like water. I look at the staircase. _Might as well, perhaps when I'm down that asshole has left the cafeteria. Plus, I might spot the last two students._

And so, against my better judgement, I start climbing.

…

…

…

…

This was a bad idea.

My legs are on fire, my lungs are on fire. Scratch that, my entire body hurts, and the stairs _are still going!_ Seriously, just how huge is this place? There are doors on every level, but all of them are locked. I can't give up until I have explored every part of the facility though.

I stop to rest my burning legs and take a few minutes to breathe. My heart is overclocking, and I need to calm it down. I finally manage to steady my breath by listen to the soft tunes of a violin.

 _Huh? Where is that music coming from?_

Powered by my curiosity, I start to climb again. My perseverance is rewarded as I soon enough reach the roof. The music has increased in volume. I open to the door and immediately see the source of it. A beautiful girl is playing, as the wind plays with her light green hair and elegant cloths. I can't help but stare in amazement as the melody she plays enraptures me. I don't even notice how cold it is up there.

Eventually though, she stops playing and it's like a spell has been broken. I shiver from the cold wind that cuts through my jacket like it's nothing. The girl spots me and comes running at me.

"Oh, are you cold? You can have my coat if you want to."

I wave her off. "Nah, I'll be fine. I'm going downstairs soon enough anyways. I just wanted to check the roof."

The girl tilts her head. "Why would you do that?"

"Then I know where it is in case I miss the group going to the roof."

"Oh, that's makes sense. I hadn't come up with that myself. I thought everyone already knew where the rooftop is. Some of did went in groups together to explore."

"Yeah, but I came dead last so I'm doing the exploring by myself. I'm Yurika Heiya by the way, what is your name?"

The girl raises an eyebrow in confusion before her eyes goes wide with shock. "Oh, that's right, I haven't met you yet! I am Ekorin Fuuto, the Ultimate Violinist."

 **Ekorin Fuuto / Ultimate Violinist**

 _Figures…_

Silence falls between the two of us. Looks like neither of us know how to advance the conversation. Eventually, Ekorin speaks up. "Do you like music?"

I'm a bit caught off-guard, so I take a moment to think about the question. "Of course, I like music. It helps me concentrate whenever I'm working. Personally, I like lyric-free music best because it doesn't distract me."

Ekorin's orange eyes sparkle when I finish talking. "Oh my gosh, and I thought that everyone here was barbaric!"

 _Wait, what?_

She doesn't seem to notice my look as she continues to ramble on. "Everyone here has such disgusting tastes. Rap, hiphop, disco, pop, jazz…none of them are anything compared to true music! Classical music is the only kind of music we need and everything else is trash. Honestly, what is going through their minds? Ugh, I seriously hope they are not as barbaric as their music tastes. Yuyami is such an example. He actually thinks rap is nice to listen to? I'd rather listen to an out of tune piano. And don't get me even started on Homura. Apparently, metal is 'cool'. Hmfp. At least I'm glad _someone_ has taste." She says with a disgusted look on her face.

"Uh, yeah, whatever." _I probably shouldn't tell I meant battle themes in games…_

"Tsk, I'll just show them. I'm sure they will change their minds after I give a beautiful concert. I just need to get the guards on my side…"

At that point, she just goes on and on and her voice starts to sound like white noise. Meanwhile, I'm still very cold and I fear if I stay here any longer, I'll die of hypothermia.

"Look." I interrupt. "I'd love to hear more about your concert, but I'm freezing here so I'm going downstairs."

Ekorin blinks for a moment, before she smiles as brightly and innocently as before. "Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have rambled so much. I'm going to stay here and practice a bit more, but I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure."

I quickly head back to the staircase and go downstairs. Luckily, going down is easier than going up, but despite that, I honestly want nothing more than to dive in bed and sleep. Maybe get something from the cafeteria…

Speaking of it, looks like Yuyami left. _Good. Now let's grab a bite, find the last student and-_

Before I can even finish my sentence, Yuyami slams the door in my face. I yelp in pain and fall backwards. Yuyami's annoying laugh is agitating. And right there, something inside me _snaps._

"Yuyami, you fucker!" I yell as I charge at him.

Huge mistake. I am anything but athletic. Yuyami has a talent in a sport. And so, he swiftly dodges my fist…and the rest of my body. The momentum is still there though, but with nothing to fall forward to, the first place I end up is the floor.

"Wow, and here I thought I had to try." Yuyami mocks me from above. I feel nothing more but seething rage, empowering me to get up and retry.

In hindsight, I probably shouldn't be attacking someone who already dodged my attack the first time in the exact same manner.

Again, he dodges, but this time my foot gets stuck behind a tripping wire and I fall face first onto the wet floor. _Wait, wet floor? And why does it smell like soap?_

A gym shoe presses on my butt, but I don't have time to shriek as he uses his foot to slide me over the slippery floor.

"Away you go!"

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

BANG! _Looking on the bright side, slamming against the wall did make me stop._ Careful not to slip, I place my hands on the wall and slowly try to get up.

If I only knew the worst had yet to come.

Everything suddenly gets cold. Water rains down on me. It pours. A quick, ice-cold and unwelcomed splash envelops me, and I feel nothing more than a poor baby animal who just learned to stand. I can't find the strength in my legs to keep standing and I sink rather pathetically back to the ground.

"Just admit it, this is much better than what you came up with." A female voice rings out above me. I slowly turn around to see the cockiest woman on the entire planet. Her chair is standing on a table, so she can look down on me with her cold, light pink eyes. Though her smile may look sweet, her arrogant posture and tone paint a very different picture.

"Yeah, that was hilarious. Seriously, her face when you dumped the bucket on her! Priceless!" Yuyami laughs in the distance. The girl makes a small mock bow and throws the bucket in his direction. "I know. My plans are foolproof."

She crosses her legs and leans slightly more back in her chair, as if it is a throne, and as if she owns the place. "Now, come on, introduce yourself, number sixteen, before I get bored and decide to figure it out on my own."

"I wouldn't mind a bit more respect, missy." I growl at her. My patience is wearing very, very thin.

The girl mocks a gasp, placing both gloved hands on her cheeks. "Oh my gosh! Someone who talks back! Someone who demands respect from the genius girl!" She exclaims, mockery coating her otherwise sweet voice.

"Says the one…who talks like she's a queen…"

The girl leans in a little closer. "Well, out of all the people here, that might not be too far off."

I can't help but raise an eyebrow at her statement. "Really now?"

She crosses her arms and legs and pouts. "Tsk, and I thought a computer nerd like you would know all about me. Allow me to enlighten you. I am the Ultimate Strategist. And my name…is Rea Yunako.

 **Rea Yunako / Ultimate Strategist**

"Wait, what? _You_ are a Yunako!?" I shout in surprise. Well, my voice isn't very loud due to the fact I'm tired as fuck, but my message doesn't fall on deaf ears. I cannot believe she is part of one of the most successfull and richest families in Japan.

"Yup, pureblood Yunako. The black sheep of the family." She proudly says, flicking one of her light brown loose braids.

 _She definitely could have fooled me if it weren't for the expensive looking black poncho and the golden earrings…_

Aside from those items, she looks very generic. She is wearing a grey sailor school uniform and pink leggings. I notice she has a crown clip in her hair.

"…You have to be lying."

She shrugs. "You'll realize I'm not soon enough. Shame though, I thought computer nerds would know all about me."

I want to shoot back an insult when I realize something. "Wait, how did you know my talent involves a computer?"

Rea grins. "I didn't. But you're wearing comfy cloths that seem much more suited for indoors, so I'll take you prefer to stay inside. From there, the chance of you being a computer nerd is fairly high. So, thank you for confirming!"

Her laugh is annoying and snobbish, and it makes me want to punch her. But the moment I try to get up, I fall back on my knees. _Dammit! I'm too weak to stand up, let alone do anything!_

"Well, well, well, looks like at least _someone_ knows how to give the right amount of respect. No need to call me miss or madam or anything like that, but I do appreciate the bowing." She continues. In the background, I can hear Yuyami sniggering.

"You…damn…bitch…" I mutter, but no matter how much I try to get up, I'm just too tired.

"That's enough!" A voice rings out. I turn around and see to my surprise Hanako in the doorway. Yuyami eyes goes wide. He takes a step forward, but…

Bang! "Aw…it is slippery…"

Hanako ignores him and skates over to me. She skillfully and quickly puts her shoulder under my arm and pulls me up.

"Jerk, do you have nothing better to do?" She scowls at Rea, how innocently laughs. "Me? A jerk? But it was just a harmless prank. Jeez, how are you going to survive in the real world if you can't take a little joke?"

"By being a decent human being, unlike you!" Hanako retorts.

"By being a little goody-two-shoes, you mean? My, what a bad idea. Don't you know, good intentions can be bad you know? I mean, look at little geek here. All on her own, probably feeling bad being stuck here and with little confidence. So, I try to lift her spirits with a little prank and give her a chance to stand up for herself. And now you ruined it. How will people ever learn stand up for themselves when other people do it for them?" Rea says, toying with her braid.

 _She's partially right. And I hate it. And from the looks of it, Hanako thinks the same thing._ She looks confused for a moment, but then she shakes her head and glares at her. "You're just trying to trick me, you evil-!"

"What's going on here?"

Noriko looks at us, crossing her arms, swinging her hips back and forth and looking very displeased. When she sees me in my weakened state, she gasps a little, before her stare hardens. "Alright, who made the cafeteria into a slippery slope?"

I don't know how she did it, but suddenly, Rea looks like the most innocent person on the planet. "Yuyami, miss. I've been stuck here for a while on this table."

"And poor Yurika's fallen down." Noriko finishes. Before any of us can do a thing, Noriko gracefully leaps over a puddle onto a safe spot near the hockey player (which is impressive as fuck) and grabs him by the ear. He whines in pain while Noriko drags him out.

"Looks like _you_ will be on cleaning duty today." Noriko hisses. Yuyami tries to protest, but he keeps slipping and whining in pain. It so pathetic I can't even bring myself to laugh. Once they're out of hearing range, Rea salutes. "Press F to pay respects."

Hanako shoots a dirty look at her. "That's so low, letting your friend take the fall for you!"

Rea shrugs. "I never said he was my friend. Besides, _he_ is the one who wanted to associate with a Yunako. He better pays the damn prize."

"You're a heartless monster." She shoots back. The trickster leans in. "Tell me something new."

Hanako opens her mouth to fire another insult back at her, but she stops when she feels me tugging on her sweatband. "Oh, oops. Sorry, I'll bring you to the dormitory, okay?"

I nod, and she starts heaving me away from the cafeteria. "Sleep tight! Don't let the bed bugs bite! Or anything else for that matter!" Rea taunts after us. I hear Hanako growling, and I don't blame her.

Luckily, we don't meet anyone on our way to the dormitory, save for guards who are clearly too disinterested to help us. Both Shinri and Isamu are reading a book at the table inside the dormitory building, but they seem too engrossed in their books to notice us.

When we reach the stairs to the second floor, I see that Hanako is clearly worn out. "You can take a break. I'm sure I can get up these stairs myself."

She hesitates for a moment, but then shakes her head. "Nah, you're far too tired for that. Don't worry about me, I'm just not used to lifting. My strength lies in my legs, not my arms."

Using the railing, we carefully ascend, until we reach the top. Finally, a guard standing upstairs runs over to me and takes over the hard work. "Well, at least you're not ripping each other's throats out, like the glassblower and the geologist from before."

I decide I don't want to know what happened between them. "I think I can reach my room now." I say to Hanako, who nods in response. "I gotcha fam. I'll be running around a bit more. Well, if I don't see you later tonight, I'll see you tomorrow!"

She starts going down the stairs, her hair flopping a bit with every step she takes. The guard coughs a bit and stares at me. It takes me a moment to realize what she means, but when I do, my cheeks have heated up.

"Oi! Hanako!" I call after her. She stops and looks worried at me. With one deep sigh, I swallow my pride. "Thanks for the help. That was nice of you."

The girl seems to be taken aback a bit, but then she flashes a peace sign. "No worries. Couldn't let you alone with Rea. See ya!"

She runs down and before I know it, she is gone. I feel humiliated for being scowled for such a thing, but at the very least, the guard seems happy now. I trudge into my bedroom and instantly crash onto my bed.

 _What a day…_

Seeing the barred window again forcefully reminds me where I am. And it also reminds me that from tomorrow forward, I will be attending class with these idiots.

 _Well, it's a good thing some of them seem nice._

On the other hand, it feels hard to believe that half the people I've met today have committed a crime, much less so bad that this was their best option. I take out the handbook and I see it has updated the profiles on each of the students. Name, talent, height, weight and even blood type are filled in, though curiously enough, Isamu's talent is missing. I decide not to ponder on it anymore and throw the handbook on my desk.

 _This is going to be a long year…_

* * *

 **Two chapters for sixteen characters. I feel proud of myself.**

 **Next chapter: This time, the real mystery is introduced, the plot starts to stir...and everyone who knows about the series knows what's coming.**


	3. Prologue part 3

**Last part of the prologue.**

* * *

If there is one thing I should be graceful for, it's that the sun isn't shining through my window when I wake up. Instead, it's soft knocks on my door that awaken me. My body feels heavy and part of me doesn't want to get up.

 _Shit, did I fall asleep in my clothes? Ugh, just how tired was I last night?_

Apparently, tired enough to fall asleep without waking for dinner, if my growling tummy is anything to go by. And it's that hunger that convinces me to get up and open the door.

I expected a guard and stand there and scold me. I did not expect a fellow inmate to be the one to wake me.

Kikoi is shifting her weight from one leg to another when I open the door. I'm surprised. I didn't expect her to go to me, especially at a time like this.

"Why are you here?" I ask. She looks at me, but not with fear.

"Noriko wants us to gather in the cafeteria. You were late, so I came to get you."

 _Something is wrong…_

"Isn't it the guards' job to be doing this sort of thing?"

She doesn't answer, so I'm left with many questions. My guts are telling me something is off. My guts are also telling me I need to eat though and right now, that has a higher priority.

"Just give me a few seconds to fresh up. I'll be there."

I quickly close the door and change into a fresh, clean shirt and wash my face. The moment I've dried up my face I already open the door. Kikoi blinks a bit confused. "That was quick."

"I'm hungry. Let's go."

I'm not in the mood for explaining myself, so I trudge out of the door and head down the stairs. Kikoi looks around before jumping over the railing and down to the first floor. "Almost everyone should be at the cafeteria right now, so I'll go with you." She says and starts walking with me, completely oblivious to me staring at her in amazement.

 _I guess I shouldn't be surprised a stuntwoman would not think twice about pulling stunts like that._

We exit the dormitory and walk the path to the main building. As we are walking, I suddenly realize it's too quiet. I glance around, but there is no one besides us. For some reason, the high walls look more imposing than before and the nasty, claustrophobic feeling of being trapped seems to intensify.

 _What is going on?_

The building is just as quiet as the courtyard. When we reach the cafeteria, I hear everyone else's voices from inside. Lured by the delicious smell of fresh pancakes, I head in. Everyone inside looks to see who came in, but most soon return to their conversations. The only one who take real notice of me are Homura, who waves at me and points to a batch of pancakes she presumably baked and Noriko, who smiles at me before clapping her hands.

"Alright everyone, I want your attention please? Is everyone here?"

"Tomoe and Yoru haven't arrived yet." Toshiya points out.

"Yoru was running late, so I sent Tomoe to fetch him." Noriko explains. "I'm sure they'll arrive at any- "

The doors slam open as Tomoe stomps in with Yoru slumped over his shoulder. To my surprise, he rather gently lifts on off his shoulder and places him on the table.

"Tomoe, what the fuck." Homura mutters. Yoru yawns loudly and rubs his eyes, not bothering to get up. "It's so early…"

Ekorin raises an eyebrow. "But 9.00 am is a reasonable time to wake up. Late, even."

Masato scratches his head. "Yeah, about that…does anyone else find it strange that the guards let us sleep instead of waking us up? I mean, today is supposed to be our first day of rehabilitation, right?"

Ainosuke smiles. "Perhaps it is a management mistake."

Mizuki rolls her eyes almost dramatically. "Sure, because a high-tech facility with sixteen potentially dangerous teens would forget to do such a simple task as setting an alarm."

"Everyone, settle down. Masato, thank you for bringing up the subject of the guards, because that is the reason why I gathered everyone here." Noriko says, immediately silencing everyone. Everyone save for Rea.

"Ooh, this better be good. It would be annoying if you dragged every single one of us here for trivial matters." She sneers, playing with her hair. It looks like she isn't really putting much effort in keeping up the façade of a nice girl.

Instead of answering her, Noriko nods to Hanako, who steps up. "This morning I woke up early, to go on my morning run. However, as I was running, I realized there were no guards coming up to me and questioning what I was doing. Actually, there were no guards in general. I ran around the facility, but I didn't bump into anyone. When I returned to the dorms, I met up with Noriko and told her about it."

Noriko takes over. "I too woke up early to do a bit of yoga. When I walked out, I realized the safety locks on the door had been unlocked, despite the reason why they are there in the first place is to keep the inmates from going out at night. I definitely remember going out before 7.30, which I have been told is the time when the guards play the morning announcement over the monitors."

"I didn't hear any announcements." Tomoe remarks. Yuyami laughs. "We probably all slept through them."

"Dude, Hanako and Noriko literally just said they woke up before the supposed morning announcement. You'd think that Noriko at the very least would hear them. And that's not even going over the fact that you just said _everyone_ here is so much of a heavy sleeper that they would sleep through something like that." Shinri says, crossing his arms.

"Don't you dare lump me in with you and your antics." Isamu scoffs at the sportsman.

Mizuki brushes away a strand of hair. "Alright, so all the guards have mysteriously gone missing and someone opened the doors for us. This cannot have been done by one person, much less a student."

Rea rests her elbows on the table and her head in her arms. "Are you implying that the facility is hijacked?"

Homura gets up from her chair, knocking it over. "I say that instead of discussing where those fucktards have gone to, we use this chance to get the hell out of here!"

Isamu sighs loudly. "Did you seriously forget that even without the guards, we are still surrounded by tall walls with spikes and barbed wire, and that's even leaving out the fact it's electric. And even if we would still find a way to shut off the power and climb the wall, we will become escaped fugitives. We will be caught before we could even think about leaving the city."

Yoru finally switches from lying on the table to sitting on it. "Maybe the people outside will come when they notice something is wrong."

Rea chuckles. "Ah yes, because people help out criminals on a daily basis. Such an amazing plan. Is that what landed you in jail?"

A few people glare at Rea, myself included. Yoru cowers down by her words and I hear Homura cracking her fists. To my surprise, however, it's Kikoi who stands up for him. "Rea, that was an unnecessary comment. You should step down if you don't want your comments to backfire on you."

It doesn't do anything to her. She swings her legs onto the table and makes herself comfortable. "Aww, how sweet, standing up for him and ignoring the truth that all sixteen of us has broken the law so badly, it was either this or jail."

Noriko takes a step towards the brunette. "Rea, listen here right- "

She leans backwards and stares into the dancer's eyes. "Don't go acting like saints. Because you aren't. Stop running away from the truth and accept that now there are no guards around, our only options are to break out and flee like rats, or stay in this prison for all of eternity. We are all horrible people who deserved punishment, but at least I'm admitting to it."

 _There she goes again…shoving the painful truth through our throats._ This time, it's not just me who stays silent. Everyone looks pained by her words. _Then…what about me? Was I a horrible person too?_

"Well, she isn't wrong…" Shinri starts, but his voice sounds hesitant.

Noriko shakes her head. "Let's put that aside for now. First, we need to- "

I never get to hear what is on top of her priority list. The monitor in the cafeteria turns on, static filling the screen. Those who had been sitting stand up. Everyone looks in anticipation at what's coming. Then, finally, we hear a voice.

"Test…test…test…can everyone hear me? I hope you all do! Now then, everyone, please make your way to the gymnasium for the opening ceremony. Attendance is mandatory. Well, see you soon!"

The monitor shuts off again. Chills are going down my spine. That voice was almost childlike, and it feels so disturbing in a place like this.

"Child's voice telling a group of kids to come to them. Yup, that's about every B-movie plot involving little kids. I'm decking points for originality." Shinri immediately comments. Mizuki just stares at him. "Seriously? That's what you're saying after this?"

"I don't like this…I don't like this…" Hanako says as she walks to the entrance of the cafeteria. Ekorin calls out to her. "What are you doing?"

She stops and turns to her. "Well, they did say attendance was mandatory. So, I'm going to the gym." And before anyone can protest, she is already out of the door. Ekorin hurries after her and so does Yoru.

"Hey, wait for me!" The green haired girl yells. "Stop going so fast!" Yoru adds.

Mizuki face-palms. "Idiots. This is obviously a trap."

Isamu unfolds his arms. "Regardless, it isn't really wise to ignore the demands of someone who is presumably responsible for the disappearance of fully armed guards. I'd prefer to at least _know_ who will kill me."

And with that, he leaves. Shinri sighed deeply. "You know what? I might end up regretting this, but he's right. This is practically a hostage situation. I don't think we're in the position to make disagreements with whoever that was."

Tomoe growls, but he caves in as well. "Fuck it. Might as well go and protect these fuckers."

They leave and only 10 students remain. Someone laughs but I don't have to turn around to kow who it is.

"My, my, what a turn of events. Let's see if they can entertain me further." Rea says, casually skipping out the door. Yuyami looks a bit blue. "H-hey, you serious? H-hold up!" He follows her immediately. Homura frowns.

"Someone needs to go after them to make sure they don't fuck shit up."

When nobody immediately answers her, she heads out. Masato runs his hand through his curly hair. "This has to be some kind of joke…right?"

Kikoi puts a hand on his shoulder. "Let's find out." She says with a strength in her voice I haven't heard before. Masato looks at her, swallows and then nods. Together, they leave. Noriko rubs her temples.

"If everyone is going, I guess I need to go too. Especially if I want to be their leader…"

Mizuki opens her mouth to protest, but Noriko already leaves. "Is everyone here stupid? Fine. Let's follow our sheep tendencies and walk into the obvious trap."

And so, I am left alone with just Ainosuke and Toshiya. Ainosuke leans his weight on a table. "So, are you two going as well?"

Toshiya looks unsure. "I honestly don't know. On one hand, this situation is far too suspicious. On the other hand, we do not know what this new party is capable of and we might risk our lives by disobeying them."

The other boy nods. "Good idea."

 _I don't like this. What if the guards were called to the gym too before they were killed? It's easier to kill someone in an enclosed space, not to mention, it's easier to clean up the bodies. No, I'm not going to fall for the same trap as everyone else._

"I'm staying here. I'm not gonna trust some lunatic. It's fine if you want to go, but I'm staying right here. At least I'll be safe then."

Toshiya mutters something to himself, but Ainosuke nods. "Ah, I see. That way, if it is indeed a trap and someone does come to rescue us, you can tell them what happened. Then, for the sake of justifying your claim, I will stay behind as well."

 _He is not the person I hoped to stay with me, but whatever. Everything is better than getting killed._

Toshiya made his decision and smiles at me. "Then, please permit me to stay here as well."

I can't help but smile at their niceness, despite the fact I can't trust them yet. That moment of niceness doesn't last long, however.

"What's that noise?" Ainosuke suddenly says. I stay still and listen. It sounds like buzzing.

"It sounds…mechanic…" Toshiya slowly says, looking around in the hope to spot the source. His eyes become wide and he points at something in the air. "There!"

I look up and see to my surprise some sort of bird shaped drone flying towards us. "I-I don't remember the guards having that." I stutter. As if insulted, it opens its mouth…

…And guns down the table next to us.

Toshiya is frozen in place, so it's on me to grab his arm and start running out the cafeteria. "Run!" Ainsouke screams, as if it weren't obvious enough. He yells as the drone starts shooting at a spot near him.

We run down the hallway, but the drone isn't far behind. Its mechanical sounds fill my ears and racks up my fear. I have never been good at running, but the desperate needs to _fucking escape that thing_ is motivation enough to run at top speed. I try to head for the dorms, but more drones fly up and block the way.

"This is it! I'm going to die!" Ainosuke wails.

"To the gym!" Toshiya shouts, finally freed from his frozen state.

"But that is where the trap is!" I shout back. "Precisely! The one behind the monitor announcement must have sent them after us to drive us in there!" He responds.

"Then let's go already!" Ainsouke screams and runs in the direction of the gym. I'm momentarily conflicted, but it doesn't last long. I turn on my heels and sprint with all my might. When the three of us reach the place, we burst through the door.

Everyone else is inside, looking in surprise at us. Toshiya immediately starts closing the doors and after a moment of trying to take my breath, I help him. Together, we manage to shut it.

"What happened!?" Noriko shouts, running over to me as I slide down. My chest is beating so hard, I feel I could die of a heart attack at any moment.

"G-giant…robot…bird…drones!" Ainosuke manages to get out.

Mizuki frowned. "I'll check for head injuries." However, Toshiya shook his head. "No…it's true…t-they tried…to kill us…"

Fear and concern spread through the group. Ekorin, Yoru and Kikoi try to help us up, while Noriko does her best to calm down the group. "Settle down everyone. It'll be alright. I'm sure there is an explanation for this…"

"An explanation for what!? That we're alone and trapped in a prison? That all the guards mysteriously disappeared? That there are _fucking robot birds trying to kill us!?_ " Shinri yells at her.

"We're all going to die! This is the end!" Yuyami screams.

And right at that moment, something happened. If we were to look back on it later, it would be the exact moment, that the lives we had would be officially turned on its head.

"The end? No, no, no, this is not the end. In fact, this is only the beginning!"

 _It's the same voice from before._ The same voice that sent me chills down my spine, now shuts everyone up with a few words. Everyone looks around, briefly forgetting about the danger that waits outside.

"Where did that come from?" Hanako pounders, looking around. Isamu crosses his arms. "What do they mean with 'this is only the beginning'?"

Yoru fuzzes with his hair. "Nooo, I want answers, not more questions!" He whines. From the looks, of it, he is not the only one. Ekorin has her hand on my arm and I feel her shaking lightly. I look to my side to see Kikoi looking worried.

 _Just…what in the fuck is going on here?_

Then, a brand-new voice rings out. It's less childish and more annoyed. "How long are you going to stretch this part out? They want answers, now hurry up and do your thing!"

"Upupup~ Patience, my brother. You really should stop more to smell the flowers. Oh well, I guess you are right. Let's get this show on the road!"

Masato points to the speech stand, that is oddly placed on the podium of the gymnasium. "It's coming from there!"

"Show yourself, whoever you are!" Noriko shouts. Eerie laughter follows suit.

"Alright, settle down. Now, everyone, let's begin with the opening ceremony!"

We don't get a chance to try and process these words. All the sudden, there is a black and white flash. It comes from the speech stand and soars up high in the sky. It spins, it falls, it lands, and I finally get a good look at it. It's…

"A teddy bear?" Ekorin asks.

She is right. It's a teddy bear. Half of it is white, like a polar bear, with a black bead for an eye and a round muzzle. The other half is black, with a weird red slash for an eye and a terrifying grin. It looks like a children's toy reject.

"I'm not a teddy bear. I…am…Monokuma! And I am your new headmaster!" It speaks.

The silence basically echoes my thought, before someone else voices it. "What. The. Fuck." Homura says.

"Wouldn't prison warden be more appropriate?" Rea asks. "This place isn't really much of a school, now is it?"

"We have a fucking talking teddy bear proclaiming itself as our headmaster and you're concerned over the fact it may be factually incorrect?" Isamu asks her.

"Well, it probably isn't best to diss someone who most likely murdered the guards, now is it?" Rea innocently replies.

"I am not a teddy bear!" It angrily shouts. "And I prefer the title of headmaster. I have my brother for that title."

It remains silent.

"That's your cue, you know!" The bear shouts. There is a groan and then unceremoniously, a second bear comes out from behind the speech stand. Its design is…lazy. It's basically the first bear, but with its colours inverted and its eyes swapped. Where the first bear was black, it is white, with again a simple bead for an eye. On the other side, it is black, but a much duller shade and its eye looks a little droopier, not to mention it is blue. The only thing that makes it stand apart aside from the eye colour is the mouth. Where it was grinning on Monokuma, it looks set in permanent disappointment or boredom.

"I'm Kumachrome. Monokuma's brother and the prison warden of this place." It says with its monotone voice.

"Someone pinch me." Hanako says. Tomoe pinches her arm and she yelps. "Ok, I am not dreaming."

"But…this can't be real, right?" Ainosuke weakly asks. Shinri pushes up his glasses. "Those bears are probably remote-controlled robots. Someone is trying to confuse us."

"I could check them." Kikoi offers, walking away from my side and towards the robots. The first one, Monokuma, takes offense. "Hey! I'm not just some toy you can flip on its back and tear its fur to pieces! Besides, harming the school headmaster or prison warden is a violation of the facility's regulations. I don't want to punish someone already."

"Violation of the facility's regulations?" Toshiya repeats. "But those don't say anything about such a prohibition."

"Oops, did I forget to update the rules? Oh well, this is the perfect time to go over them!" Monokuma chuckles. Beeps rings through the gym and I find myself taking out my E-Book from my pocket. I switch it on and head for the rules and regulation.

 **Rules and Regulations of Despair's Rehabilitation Centre**

\- From the day they arrived, every student is an inmate and will never be permitted to leave.

\- Violence against headmaster Monokuma and prison warden Kumachrome is strictly forbidden and will be severely punished.

\- Destruction of monitors and surveillance cameras is prohibited.

\- Monokuma morning and night time announcements will happen at 7.00 am and 10.00 pm. Certain areas will be closed off at night time.

\- Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as slacking off and will be punished.

\- Students are free to explore the area with limited restrictions.

\- Only students who successfully disrupt the harmony will be permitted to graduate.

\- More regulations will be added if necessary.

 _What…_ _?_

"Wait, 'never permitted to leave'? But, that means…" Hanako slowly says.

"Bingo! Your sentences have been revisited and it looks like it's for the best to change that one-year-rehabilitation into a life sentence. Don't worry, you guys don't need to move. Everything you need is here! I'll personally make sure you will never run out of food or water, so you guys can keep on living here for the rest of your life!" Monokuma happily announces, but no one is happy with this.

Shinri drops his E-Book as if it's poisonous. "What? No! You can't do this! This whole project was set up so that we could get out, not to stay here forever!"

Masato shakes his head in denial. "No, I can't stay here! I want to go back home!"

"This has to be some sort of sick joke." I manage to get out. My head is spinning, I have just caught my breath again, and everything is a mess.

Isamu's sharp tone cuts through the murmurs that filled up my ears. "If this is meant to be a kidnapping, why do you bother yourselves with us? Why not kidnap children from people you can profit from? Rea and Ekorin have rich families, but I doubt they'd come to our rescue as easily as others might, considering their children are criminals."

Monokuma cocks his head, like a curious bird would do. "Hm? Why would you think that would be my reason? In this place, it doesn't really matter how rich you are. Besides, it's not like the outside world knows about this."

"The outside world…doesn't know about this?" Ekorin repeats him, fear dripping from every word.

"Yup! So don't worry about your families missing you, because they won't have a reason to do so." Monokuma explains.

Even with the entire situation, Toshiya still manages to tell us what he means. "If the outside world doesn't know about our predicament, then they'll think that we are still undergoing rehabilitation. And because of that, nobody will think something is wrong, and will not come to our rescue."

"But, we could alarm them…" Ekorin tries, but to no avail.

"Don't bother." Kumachrome speaks up. "He'll destroy all tries of communication to the outside world."

"And even if we would manage to get a message past those two, who would believe a bunch of criminals?" Rea points out, still with a light, eerie smile on her face. "Accept it, we won't get out. How boring."

Homura shoots a glare at her before turning her attention back to the teddy bears. "This is bullshit! You can't make me stay here!"

Monokuma chuckles softly. "My, my, you've all only been here for one day and you already want to get out? Tsk, that's a shame. Well, I guess there is one way out…"

The moment those words left his mouth, hope blossoms in everyone again. "There is a way out!?" "Tell us!" "We can go free!?" "What is it!?"

There is a dreadful feeling nestling itself in my stomach. I slowly get up from the ground. There is no way he will let us go that easily. There must be a catch.

"Upupu…well, you see, you could say that by letting you all stay here forever, we have created a new society. Society is built upon trust, peace and harmony. Now let's say if someone were to…disrupt that peace, without getting caught. Then that person would gain the right to leave this prison."

"Then," Noriko carefully asks, "how do we disrupt the peace?"

"Simple. By killing another inmate, of course."

His words fall like a bomb. The shards strike everyone speechless. _Is…is he serious?_ I can't wrap my head around it. He is telling us to kill a person to escape. Yoru and Ekorin slap their hands for their faces. Mizuki backs away and so does Isamu. Homura and Yuyami start to shout profanities, but Yuyami's sound more scared than angry. Ainosuke curls up in a ball, muttering words to himself. Masato grabs Kikoi's arm as a way to secure himself and the girl in question just stares in shock at the bear.

Tomoe takes a step forward and curls his fists. "Ok, this bullshit has gone far enough. Let us the fuck out or else!"

"Upupu, do we already have a delinquent here? Ooh, how scary. If only I wasn't so defenseless…" He mocks him, which only increases his anger. He stomps towards the podium and grabs Monokuma.

"Now listen here you piece of shit…"

There is a bang from behind me and I remember the drones are still there. I leap forward, running towards him. Before Tomoe can punch him, I grab his arm. "No, don't! Those robot drones are working for him! They will shoot you to pieces!"

Of course, trying to subdue a guy who is twice as strong as I am never can go well. With one rough swing of his arm he launches me towards the ground. For the fourth time in two days, I fall hard on the floor, but this time the back of my head is the part that lands first. I hiss in pain from the impact. Noriko and Hanako immediately rush towards me.

"Hey, she has a point you know!" Homura shouts at him. When he doesn't even look at her, she too balls her fists and punches his side. Naturally, it doesn't do much, but it does grab his attention.

"Fuck off! I'm trying to force this asshole to let us out!"

There is a sharp beep. It comes from Monokuma, who has been mysteriously quiet upon to now. There is another beep. Kikoi's eyes widen.

"Throw it away!"

Tomoe blinks in confusion. At least he is no longer angry, but the beeping continues. Seeing that yelling at him has no effect, Kikoi runs up to him and snatches Monokuma away from his grasps. The pace of the beeping quickens while she looks around. The beeps go faster and faster.

"Take cover!" She screams as she throws Monokuma in the air.

BOOM!

The air is suddenly filled with smoke and heat and I feel the shockwave tugging at me. It's gone just as quickly, despite the fact my ears are still ringing.

Monokuma exploded. And it would have killed Tomoe if Kikoi hadn't interfered.

Tomoe looks at the scene, his mouth opening and closing, with no sound coming out of it. It's Shinri who shakily answers. "That…was a bomb. These bears are equipped with self-destruct bombs."

"But…that bear is now gone right?" Yoru asks hopefully, before that hope is immediately shot down.

"Nope, I'm still here! Reincarnated from my own ashes like a phoenix!" The bear cheers.

"How many more of these bears are there?" Mizuki asks, still taken aback by the explosion.

"Well, technically, two. Kumachrome and I. But, just in case there is a malfunction, we have more than enough backups to last us a life time."

He turns around and points at Tomoe with his short arm. "And you, you just got very lucky! What you just did was a violation of the school regulations. In normal circumstances, I would have harshly punished you. But, see this as a warning for the future."

None of us knew what to say something. This whole thing was so bizarre, what could be said? But of course, there is always someone who breaks away from that silence.

"So, we just have to try and kill each other, and the last one standing wins?" Rea asks with a causality that feels alien to me.

"Not precisely. There must be rules, otherwise it will be chaos. An individual is only allowed to kill two people and there cannot be more than two murderers at a time. Furthermore, the crime must be carried out in secret. If the other inmates find out who the killer is, it's game over. Those are the rules of the Killing Detention Centre, the ultimate Killing Game of life and death!"

He could have just as well spoken in a different language, because my brain refuses to process it. I'm still lying on the floor, but I'm too weak to stand up. Noriko and Hanako are by my side, but they both look like they have seen a ghost.

"Well, if there aren't any more questions…happy killing!" He disappears and so does Kumachrome.

We, however, stay silent. Isamu is the first to move as he walks to the door. "It appears the drones are gone. We are free to leave."

"Free to leave!? You mean free to die! We're all going to die here! Just like in Battle Royal!" Shinri shouts, shaking heavily. Ainosuke puts a consorting hand on his shoulder. "Calm down. I am certain none of us are actually capable of killing a living person. No one here was arrested for murder, or we would have been informed of it. So, as long as we don't cave in, we will all be fine."

Ekorin nods, though it is shaky. "Oh yes, killing is so barbaric. I can't imagine someone would do such a thing."

Hanako throws up fist, trying to regain her energy back. "Yeah! We just have to stay strong and fight! We won't let them manipulate us!"

"However, I'm sure that the mastermind is most likely anticipating a reaction like this." Toshiya says, averting his eyes. "I don't want to bring everyone down, but whoever set this in motion, must have an ace upon his or her sleeve."

Noriko's hand grabs mine and with a firm hold, she brings me to my feet. Once I'm standing upright, she smiles at everyone else, though it's clear it's a forced one. "Well, then we need to do extra hard our best to bound together and stand strong."

Yoru nods. "I'm sure we can find a way out. We just need to make sure those teddy bears don't catch us."

Masato, who ran over to Kikoi the moment the smoke from the explosion cleared up to make sure she was okay, now finally speaks up as well. "Maybe we need to give ourselves an additional set of rules. Setting a routine will help us adjust to this new life."

Yuyami pouts. "Do we have to? This situation is already messed up." Mizuki shakes her head. "Messed up situation or not, Masato has a strong point. Letting everyone free to do as they please will give so much chaos during the day."

Noriko chuckles weakly. "Then, allow me to propose a few. First of all, we will have a curfew. Nobody is allowed outside the dormitory after the night time announcement. Second, after the morning announcement, we will all gather in the cafeteria to have breakfast. During breakfast, we will discuss our plans for the day and everyone is free to do what they please after that. Lastly, we will try and not discuss our current situation too much. Wallowing in despair won't help us, so let's try to be optimistic and focus on bounding with each other and finding a way out of this facility."

Tomoe crosses his arms and looks away. "I fucking hate curfews. But sure. It's not like there is much to do at night."

Yoru looks at the ground in disappointment. "Aww, but if I'm not allowed outside after curfew, how am I going to watch the stars? My window is too small to have a good view."

"Looks like we all need to give up a bit of our freedom to make sure we sleep well at night. Don't worry, we'll figure something out." Homura says, grinning like her usual self already.

Noriko looks around. "So, if everyone agreeing on these conditions?"

Most people nod, but a certain bluehead doesn't. "How will you make sure nobody breaks those rules? Unlike Monokuma, you don't have bombs or drones to punish those who break the rules." Isamu sharply notes.

The girl he addressed looks at him with a firm stare. "We're just going to have to place our trust in everyone. If we all remember that everyone will feel better following these rules, I'm sure those considerate enough will not break them."

Isamu doesn't react. Someone else does. Soft laughter, not of amusement, but of mockery grabs our attention.

"You all speak of 'trust', 'believe' and 'hope' to hide the cold, hard truth away from your soft little ears and eyes and bury yourself under false pretenses to escape from reality. How sad." Rea says, swinging a little on her feet in most likely boredom.

"Then what?" I say, still feeling weak but at least having my voice back. "You say we just cry and wail in despair before cracking and slaughtering all within our path? Is that what your 'reality' consist of? Sitting on our asses until we die? Unlike you, I'm not planning to die yet. And if I am, I'm sure as hell don't want to die as a paranoid coward."

My words slide off like water on an oily raincoat. "I'm just warning you," she says, but there is no real empathy behind her words, "don't come to me crying when someone inevitably gets too tempted and stabs you in the back. After all…"

Her grin is terrifying. Its wide, full of teeth and it's something that does not belong with the words she speaks next.

"Can you really trust a stranger in a game where it's kill or be killed?"

Her words cut like a hot knife through the little sense of unity we had. The cold truth stares us down when we look at each other, multiple things running through our minds. Can we trust them? Will they not betray us? Will they kill me?

I never thought much about death, but as we all look with doubt and suspicion at each other, I'm suddenly very aware about the fact how easy it is to kill a person. How easy it is for me to die by one of their hands.

The doors of the gym open and close, interrupting our thoughts. I quickly scan the crowd and realize that Isamu has gone. Rea, to my surprise, is still standing there, smiling at the scene. Before I can point it out to her, she spins on her heels and walks to the door.

"Looks like the little birds have fled. Whelp, see you all tomorrow…" She sing-songs after us as she walks away.

It's still silent for a few minutes. That, or I'm just not hearing anything right now. Thoughts swim through my head, trudging slowly and mending together into one big mess. I'm surprisingly calm, but it may be because I'm just too much in shock.

 _Will someone kill me? Will I end up killing someone? Will…will I never see the outside world again?_

One by one, people leave. Noriko makes sure I'm okay before heading off. Soon enough, I'm standing alone in the room, watching blankly as the reality and craziness of the situation keeps me standing frozen.

I wasn't even supposed to be here. I don't remember doing anything wrong. And yet, here I'm standing, on the edge between hope and despair. A web weaved of distrust and paranoia. Where killing is our only way to escape our imprisonment. Something that was supposed to reform us and give us a second chance at life suddenly became a cruel game of death.

And I'm caught right in the middle of it.

 **Prologue End: Prison of Entropy**

 **Surviving students: 16**


	4. Chapter 1 part 1

**Chapter 1:  
The Crow Cries When the Swan Stops Singing**

 **Daily Life**

* * *

I somehow made it back to my room. I don't really know how or why. My room just feels like the safest place right now. But now I'm just standing there, staring at nothing.

 _Sleep. I want to go back to sleep._

I ignore the computer on my desk and head straight for bed. The only thing I do is kick off my shoes and take off my sweater vest. At least my bed feels nice and comfy. I wouldn't mind spending all day here.

 _Though, I'll need to go down eventually to grab lunch. Maybe I can get an apple before anyone sees me._

Pressing head deeper into the pillow, I eventually fall asleep.

…

…

"Wakey, wakey…"

"Hm…mom…leave me alone…"

"Tsk, tsk, spending the day cooped up in your room. How irresponsible. And lazy. While it's such a beautiful day outside! You could be hanging out with friends, work on your talent, setting up a murder plan…"

"Shut up…you know I don't have friends…"

 _Wait, what was that last thing?_

I open my eyes…to see Monokuma's terrifying grin staring right at me.

"AHHHHH!"

I ungracefully stumble out of bed, getting tangled up in the sheets and backing away as far as possible. "What the fuck are you doing in my room!?"

He looks down as if he'd been scolded. "How rude, and I was acting as your personal alarm clock. You should be more graceful for that. Not everyone gets to be woken up by such a cute mascot character!"

Still shaking, I desperately try to find anything to defend myself with. "Don't you fucking dare go and kill me, you bastard!"

"Hey, hey! I'm the school's headmaster, not a participant! I can't harm or kill you unless you break a school rule. Isn't that listed in the school rules?"

"Last time I checked, no."

"Upupu, looks like I forgot. But don't worry, as long as you don't bring me any harm, I won't bring you any harm either. How does that sound?"

"…" I can't seem to find a response to that. Instead, I change the subject. "Why are you even here?"

"No real reason. I just thought it would be nice to inform you that the cafeteria is closed off at night-time, so if you want to eat, you shouldn't wait too long."

I look at the clock. I slept so much, it's almost evening. As I slowly get up from the floor, I realize Monokuma is gone. _At the very least, I'm not tired._ I am once again hungry though, so I put on my shoes and vest and walk outside.

No one's sitting at the table this time, so I'm betting both Isamu and Shinri are in their dorms. Shinri must still be paranoid. In the courtyard, I see Hanako eating a banana on the grass with Homura next to her. I pass them on my way, but none of us make an effort to try and talk with each other. I don't blame them.

The cafeteria is empty, safe for Noriko and Ainosuke. Noriko is busy cleaning the place while Ainosuke is writing.

"Yurika! Are you here to eat something? Don't mind me, I'm just making sure we don't dirty this place up too much."

I simply nod at her (fake) cheerful tone. She is obviously trying to lift the mood, but she isn't doing a good job at it. I go into the kitchen and make a few sandwiches. When I come back, Ainosuke has stopped his writing.

"I haven't seen you since I left the gym. Have you been in your room the entire time?" He asks.

"Why do you care?" I grumble at him. I'm not in the mood for small talk.

He simple shrugs. "Just wondering. It's not very healthy to spend all of your time in your room. You should go out and befriend the people here. Who knows, it may turn into something wonderful…" His voice turns creepy, but I doubt he's realizing it.

I eat my sandwiches without a single word.

Eventually, he gets up from his chair and exits the cafeteria. Noriko stays, despite having given up at cleaning. She stands in the middle of the cafeteria, looking lost. She sighs and sits next to me. "I've never cleaned that much before…"

"Why are you even cleaning then?"

"Because…" She pauses, unsure of how to phrase her words. "I just can't stand around and do nothing."

Despite everything, I smirk. "It's the complete opposite for me. I can't stand doing anything, so I do nothing."

She looks at me with concern and I wish I haven't said anything. "Forget it."

"Why? Why do you not want to do anything?" She asks me with legitimate curiosity. It takes me a while to come up with a good answer. "I…don't like conversating with other people that much. It's just something…"

I don't finish my sentence and look away. "Look, it's nothing. I'm perfectly fine spending my days in my room. Besides, we're in a killing game. What's socializing going to do?"

Noriko is silent for a moment before lightly smiling. "I don't know what could have happened in your life to make you think you're better off alone and it is not my business either. However, if you refuse to try to open up to people, you will forever live in fear of them. And…living without human contact greatly incapacitates you. So, I think you should at least make an effort to socialize. Besides, if we live all paranoid and fearful of each other, I doubt we would last one day. Maybe becoming friends is the key to getting out here."

I can't help but scoff a little. "Effort? Friends? This isn't some cheesy manga or Disney movie." I get up to leave.

"But, even so, why not at least try? I mean, this is your chance at a new start. And I think you should take it. Find something to talk about, do little things, try and get to know each other. This may well be your chance…your last, maybe." She calls out to me.

 _What does she know about chances? She doesn't know anything about me. She wouldn't be talking about socializing if she knew what I've been through._

However, there is a little voice gnawing at me, telling me she is right. These people are strangers. They don't know me, or anything related to me. Just like I don't know them.

I silently walk out of the cafeteria, not responding to her voice. _But what if I'm wrong? What if someone I spend time with ends up dying? What if they start hating me? Isn't it just better to spend my days in my room, working on my computer or sleeping?_

When I'm outside, the sun has start to set. It probably won't be long before the night time announcement will ring. I want to go back to the dormitory when I spot a strange building near it. It has a picture of one of the bears, Kumachrome, I believe, with the words 'Kumachrome Shop' in neon.

Despite it having the image of one of the despair teddies, I can't contain my curiosity and head for the building. I open the door and I'm immediately greeted with rows upon rows of things, ranging from pretty teacups to fake guns.

"The term 'Monocoin' sounds much better! Who would want to have something called a 'Chromecoin'!?"

"Fuck off, you already have the Monomachine, you're the headmaster of the Killing Game, and you're the main mascot! I have the right to name my shit too!"

" _Your shit_!? Your shit is the fucking Kumachrome shop! You have your own goddamn shop and I have my goddamn money."

"Again, you're the one with the machine. Besides, the coins can only be used in my shop, meaning I should have control over it too!"

"And do you know who hides these coins!? Me, that's right!"

 _What the fuck is going on here?_

Monokuma finally notices me and turns around, immediately heading over to me like a child throwing a temper tantrum. "Yurika! Right on time! Chrome here is saying we should rename the Monocoins to Chromecoins, but that's nonsense!"

Kumachrome stands up from his place behind the counter. "Feel free to ignore him. He's just pissed to learn that not everything is about him."

"But I'm the school's headmaster! You're just a puny sidekick who will never be loved, so who cares about your opinion?"

"What are those actually?" I try to keep my phrasing cool, to avoid setting them off. Kumachrome immediately jumps at the chance.

"As a reward for exploring the school and living life, Monokuma has hidden coins all over the school. With these coins you can buy items from my shop. You can choose to put them in the Monomachine, which will spew a random item per coin. Or, if you save them up, you can buy a particular one from me. In any case, while not necessary, they might make life easier or some shit. I don't care what you do, but if those coins are gonna be used in my shop, I think they should be called Chromecoins.

"Bull-"

"Please tell me you guys realized you can call them Kumacoins too, right?" I sigh with exasperation. They're too silent for my liking.

"I'm okay with that."

"Sure. Whelp, here's a little reward for helping us out. Upupu, see ya!" Monokuma hands me a few coins and disappears out of the doorway. I turn to look at Kumachrome.

"What? Don't just stand there, do something with it."

 _How are these two keeping us captive again?_

"I seriously have no idea what to get." I truthfully tell him. He clicks annoyed with his tongue and points at a black and white machine in the corner of the shop. "Then try your luck with the Monomachine. Who knows, it might give you something special."

Left without a care in the world, I slide one of the coins into the slot and turn the handle. A capsule rolls out of it. I open the capsule and find…

"An empty notebook? What am I supposed to do with this? How did it even fit in here?"

Kumachrome cocks his head, seemingly interested, but then leans back again. "How should I know? Make it a diary or give it away to someone. Who knows, might be a good conversation starter…"

 _A conversation starter, huh?_

BING BONG BING BONG

Before I can ask what that was, the monitor switches on. Monokuma appears on screen, holding a glass with some sort of alcohol in it. "Ahem, this is an official announcement from the facility's headmaster. The time is now 10.00 pm, which means it's now night time. The kitchen and Kumachrome shop are now off-limits. Sweet dreams everyone!"

The monitor switches off again and I look at Kumachrome. He just stares back at me. "You heard him. Now get out of my shop."

Without any kind of protest, I move out of the shop. I have better things to do with my time than to annoy the bear. Like sleeping. The trip to my dorm is fairy quiet. I meet Noriko, Masato and Tomoe on my way. Noriko shoots me a look and I shrug. _I'll decide tomorrow what I'll do._

I make my way to my room, throw off my vest and shoes, lock the door and jump right in bed.

* * *

" _Hey."_

…

" _What's your name?"_

…

" _Really? I like it! My name is so generic."_

…

" _Ahaha, did I forget to introduce myself?"_

…

" _Well, my name is…"_

* * *

BING BONG BING BONG

"Rise and shine everyone! Right now, the time is exactly 7 a.m! It's another beautiful day, so let's give it all we got!"

… _Hm? Oh, that must be the morning announcement. Guess I better get up and eat something._

I can't believe three days have already passed. My cloths do, however. I don't find anything in my room but an extra pair of grey sweatpants and an extra white tank top, so I don't have much choice in the matter. There is a pretty red dress, but I don't feel like wearing it.

 _Oh, of course. We were probably meant to get new uniforms yesterday, but Monokuma's hijacking must have put a stop to that plan._

Washing my cloths is an annoying chore I want nothing to do with, but if I don't want to be walking around in sweaty cloths, I have to do it. Unless I can rope someone into doing it, but right now, I doubt anyone will.

I change into fresh underwear and cloths, wrap my sweater vest around my waist and head out. It's colder without my warm vest, so I pay no attention to who is also walking out the dorms and head straight for the main building.

Inside, I find Hanako making breakfast for all of us. When she sees me walking in, she waves enthusiastically at me.

"Hi Yurika! Good morning! Please help yourself. I know it's not that extraordinary, but it's the best I can make."

I sit down and take a bite out of the rice. To my surprise, it's great. "Wow, I didn't know you can cook."

Hanako just laughs it away. "Ah, it's more something I learnt from my cousin. It's nothing special, but hopefully it won't bait Rea into insulting me."

"Then she's got poor taste." I casually remark, but I can't prevent grinning. "Then again, we already know that. If only she were poor too."

She doesn't respond, and I continue eating. Noriko comes out of the kitchen, holding a pot of soup. "Ah, Hanako, where should I put this?"

"Ah, oh, uh, just for there."

"Are you okay?"

"Huh? O-of course! I just…never made that much."

I don't pay much attention to their conversation, and neither do I to the fact that more and more people are walking in. They sit at table and begin chattering away. It's funny. Despite our situation, the cafeteria looks like any high school cafeteria, complete with stereotypes. It almost feels…normal.

"LET ME GO, YOU PSYCHO!"

I look up to see Tomoe once again dragging someone with him, but this time it's not Yoru, who instead pauses his one-sided conversation with Mizuki to look at the unfolding scene. Homura stops lightly tugging at Ainosuke's dyed streak and even Rea is silent.

Tomoe almost throws Shinri onto the ground but stops and instead puts him down lightly on the chair, holding onto his shoulders so he can't slip away.

"Tomoe, Shinri, what are you-" Noriko begins, but Shinri glares at her. "This stupid Tarzan-rip-off just barged into my room and forcefully dragged me here after I refused to go to the cafeteria!"

"I'm not letting this asshole starve. Because who will be burying the body then? That's right, me. So, you're getting breakfast, whether you like it or not."

"I was planning to do just that, except later! When you potential murderers aren't around me!" Shinri yells. "Because let's face it, if any of you guys are tempted to murder, I'd be first on the goddamn list! Along with starboy, I am the weakest among everyone! It's only a matter of time before someone kills me, so leave me alone so that I can live as long as possible!"

Tears of pure fear stream down his face as he curls up in his seat. Tomoe lifts his hands a bit, still hovering over his shoulders to grab him should he make a run for it.

"T-there is now way that's going to happen, right?" Yoru trembles. Shinri's words must have been a slap in his face. I can't blame him. Shinri's freak-out reminds us of the situation we're in.

"Are you guys still convinced puppies and kittens and being ignorant is going to save you?" Rea casually asks us. "Or are you going to wait until someone starts playing the game?"

My blood begins to boil. "I haven't seen you make any attempts at 'playing' though." I snap at her.

She grins amused at me and sips her tea. "That would end the game far too soon. I want to enjoy it as long as possible."

Shinri's cries seem to have only gotten louder and Noriko seems torn between soothing him and scolding her. Before she can decide on what to do, someone else does.

"Alright, that's enough." Homura stomps over to Rea and grabs her by a braid. "If you're not going to contribute to the group in any way, you can fucking leave."

She pulls her from her seat and drags her out of the cafeteria. Rea lightly struggles, but it looks like she's not putting any real effort into it. Once the two of them are out of sight, Kikoi walks over to Shinri.

"Hey, you're scared because you have no way to protect yourself, right?"

He looks up, still shaking. "Of course. W-what…"

Her voice is firm. "Then let me protect you."

It takes a moment for him to realize what she said. "Huh?"

"Like I said, I will protect you. And everyone else. I know not everyone can protect themselves, so let me do it."

She looks over at everyone else, smiling confidently. "I will promise to do my best and protect you, so we can all leave this cursed facility."

"But what if you end up killing me!?" Shinri yells, his voice breaking. Kikoi's eyes widens and she tries to stammer out a response. _She probably didn't think of that…_

"Then I'll make sure that doesn't happen." Tomoe suddenly says. He turns his head away from everyone else when they stare at him. "No one's stupid enough to try and do shit with me around, so I'll make sure nobody kills each other."

"Uh, sure, I'll help too. What's the worst that could happen?" Yuyami shrugs.

"I'll help too! I know I'll probably not be much of a help, but I want to be useful anyways." Masato speaks up. Noriko walks over to Shinri and rubs his arm.

"If we do our best and watch out for each other, I'm sure no one'll get hurt. So, don't worry, okay?"

He swallows and meekly nods. Yoru beams up and runs to hug Noriko. "Thank you! I'll work hard and do my best too! I'm sure we can all work it out together."

Ekorin, who has been quiet until now, laughs. "Aha! How amazing! Everyone is being so diplomatic!"

"Such strength even while facing despair. I hope this lasts for some time." Ainosuke remarks.

"Yeah, I mean, not everyone's a total stud like me, but hey, gotta give points for teamwork! Nothing beats teamwork! Tomoe and I can totally take down anyone who tries anything dangerous." Yuyami cheers. Masato frowns.

"Kikoi can take down someone too, you know. Don't leave her out."

He only chuckles in response. "Oh, come on. Stunt chick's a total badass, I get it. But I doubt she'd be able to throw down someone's ass when things get serious."

What happens next is almost too fast for eyes. Kikoi, with a darkened look on her face, runs up to him and grabs him by his arm. She steps, she swings, and suddenly, Yuyami is in the air. He falls down onto the table with a loud CRASH, almost breaking the table in two.

"You were saying?" She asks him when he groans in pain. "Aw, fuck…"

"To be fair, you were asking for it." Mizuki calmly states. "Though we should keep violence to a minimum. You might just end up accidentally hurting someone badly."

Kikoi sheepishly scratches her arms and it almost seems like she's shrinking. "Sorry…"

"Mizuki is right." Noriko says. "Unnecessary violence is intolerable. It will only escalate things."

Ekorin nods. "I am in complete agreement. Violence is so barbaric. We are not in a wrestling tournament. Everyone should strife more to be a gentleman or lady."

"Let's keep personal views out of this." I say before anyone can frown upon her words.

"Are you okay?" Toshiya asks Yuyami as he helps him up. "Yeah, just…didn't expect that."

"Ignoring what just happened…what now?" I ask. "Are we just going off to do our own thing?"

Going by the way Noriko places her chin in her hand, I bet she probably didn't think of that. Swearing to protect someone is nice in theory, but how are we going to pull that off? I doubt Shinri's going to be happy with someone watching over him the whole time.

She looks back at me again and grins. _I'm not sure if I like where this is going…_

"Alright, then let's make sure we don't end up potentially vulnerable by hanging out with each other. It will increase our relationships and we will always have someone with us."

Isamu shakes his head. "Then I'll retreat to my dorm. Then I _know_ I will be safe without needing to hang out with any of you. Besides, what if one person turns out to be a killer? Then you've just set up a murderer with a victim."

"Not necessarily." Toshiya objects. "Monokuma specifically stated that a murder should be carried out in secret, in other words, without letting someone else catch you. It's hard to set up such a murder plan if someone else is constantly watching you. Not to mention, this place isn't really that big. Many area's have been sealed and will probably be opened much later. This shortens our array of hang-out spots, thus you'll be more likely to run into other people. In short, carrying out a murder plan is hard, especially considering how we're all just teenagers."

Tomoe snorts. "Yeah, the only one here smart and psychopathic enough to kill someone is Rea, and she just stated she isn't planning on it."

Mizuki crosses her arms. "That's assuming she isn't just lying."

Shinri audibly swallows. "And I bet Monokuma probably has a plan or two to make sure we start killing each other. Most likely with some sort of motive…"

Murmurs fill the air. I just look at the ground. That's a lot of information to work through. Honestly, a part of me just wants to get up and leave and spend the rest of the day secured by blankets, protecting myself from the dooming thoughts of dying. Although…

" _Find something to talk about, do little things, try and get to know each other. This may well be your chance…your last, maybe."_

Noriko's words are really striking a cord. One that I've buried away for so long. In this new world…with new people…am I really going to be so afraid of taking a second chance?

"Does it really matter what Monokuma does?" I mutter to myself. Apparently, I'm louder than I intended, because the group becomes silent.

"W-what do you mean?" Ekorin asks. I shrug and look away. "Well, so far, Monokuma hasn't tried anything serious. Sure, he is keeping us captive and he threatens to kill us if we don't obey the rules, but the rules don't actually state we _have_ to kill someone. The option is just presented to us, we don't need to do anything with it."

Masato frowns. "I don't think I follow. I'm fairly sure this _is_ pretty serious."

"Well, let's be honest, being captive is why we are here in the first place. This isn't much different from before, except that breaking a rule is punished much harder. Aside from that, we have no classes and we are free to do what we want. Sounds to me like an improvement."

"Being held here for the rest of our lives is an improvement!?" Hanako asks me perplexed. I roll my eyes.

"Oh, come on, authorities are going to notice sooner or later. Those stupid teddy bears just want to seduce us into committing homicide, which will only increase our sentences. Or did any of you have a plan beyond just escaping?"

The group remains silent. A few people are shaking their heads and I throw up my arms in response. "Whoops, there you have it. Getting out of here, killing or not, will only land us into more trouble, so all we need to do is just ignore these fuckers and wait until authority comes to save us. Problem solved."

Kikoi rubs her arm. "I…doubt it's going to be this easy. These robots have drones with machine guns. They have the ability to take us hostage, if they won't just try to gun down whoever come too close. That explains why those drones aren't flying around now." She quietly says, but since the rest of the group is silent too, her voice carries over anyways.

"Besides," Ainosuke points out "like Shinri said, if we don't kill, I'm sure Monokuma is going to be using other means to achieve his goal, whatever it may be. I doubt that after all the trouble of taking over the facility, he is just going to let us do whatever we want."

"However, Yurika has a point. So far, we have only been talking about surviving and escaping, but not about what we're going to do after that. We're all convicted criminals, whether we like it or not. We can't count on support or any help from outside. Fleeing to another country will be near impossible and there is no way we can hide. In other words, this place may be our best bet, murderous teddy bears or not." Mizuki says, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

Yuyami, having fully picked himself up, starts whining. "But we're _ultimates_! We aren't just some ordinary people, we are talented! I'm sure if we work together, we can totally flee this place."

Despite the fact he is still shaking, Shinri speaks up. "Yeah, but we're still teenagers. Emotional, hormonal and unstable teenagers. We lack the experience of the outside world. Even with our talents, surviving on our own will be hard. Plenty of shows with groups that need to survive on their own fall apart because of fights and disagreements. We will need to work together at all times. One argument could endanger everyone. Besides, the police will soon enough be on our tails and we will be caught before we know it."

"We came to this place to learn how to operate in society. That means we definitely don't have the knowledge to live on our own, how handy our talents may be. So, all in all, we gain nothing from escaping this place, if we do it by killing the bears or…" Toshiya trails off, but he pretty much summarized my entire standpoint.

I throw my arms into my neck. "Like I said, Monokuma doesn't matter. We're not getting out of here, so we might just as well start getting used to it. And if everyone knows this, chances are slim someone's going to kill. If we can't survive in a group, no one's sure as hell going to survive on their own."

Silence rings once again through the group. The painful reality that we will never see our family and friends again is stinging. Eventually, Mizuki gets up. "I'm going to inform Homura about all this. Hopefully she hasn't killed Rea yet."

There are a few nods and murmurs, but no one objects when the silver-haired girl leaves the cafeteria. The silence is eventually broken by Hanako, who groans and grabs her head.

"All of this is confusing me…let's just promise to keep an eye out for everyone and to stick around with other people. That sounds easy enough for me."

"Weren't you the one saying you wanted to prove you are smart?" Despite the words, there is no malicious tone in Tomoe's voice. Hanako whoever, doesn't catch that.

"Huh? You want to say that to my face, punk!?" She growls at him.

Noriko intervenes. "Your idea is good, Hanako. Let's not fight and focus on creating good bounds with each other."

I don't miss the look she directs at me.

"Sounds good to me! I love slacking off and doing stuff with friends, so feel free to hang out with me." Yuyami laughs. _Hmm, despite his idiocy, he may not be so bad._

Ainosuke chuckles. "An excellent idea! Let us forget about our situation and instead spend time with each other. Beauty comes from socialization after all!"

Everyone ignores his comment. Aside from that though, most seem to be okay with it. Even Isamu shrugs, not fully approving but not dismissing it either. "If someone dies, I'm going back to my room."

Ekorin clasps her hands together. "Then let's hope you don't have to!"

Noriko goes to stand on the table and points to the sky with a determined grin on our face. "Then, let's bound and work together to a bright future!"

And with these words, she dismisses everyone. I immediately head back to my room.

 _Alright, now I have two options. I can either ignore Noriko's advice and spend the day on my computer, or I can go and talk to someone. Hmm, what should I do…?_

* * *

 **Next time: Free time events with Isamu and Ainosuke**


	5. Chapter 1 Free Time Events I

**Woohoo! Welcome onto the sick ride Valentino!**

 **In any case, I decided to put up these two free time events in a seperate chapter. Seems easier to me. The next chapter might end a bit shorter because of it.**

* * *

FREE TIME

* * *

I pick up the cloths and head out. Luckily enough, Noriko is standing in the dormitory. "Ah, Noriko, hold up!" I call after her when she starts walking out. She stops and turns, just as I run down the stairs.

"You said I should do my best to socialize, right? But I have dirty cloths that need to be washed…"

I see how she takes a deep breath and sighs. "Let me guess. You want me to do your laundry in exchange for hanging out with people?"

"That's the idea." I smirk at her.

She thinks about it, sighs and opens her arms up. I gladly dump my cloths. She gives me a stern look. "But I do want you to spend time with someone now."

"Of course!"

After making sure I have the notebook with me, I head over to the small table where Isamu is sitting. He is currently reading, but there are a few books next to him. I gently tap him on the shoulder. He looks up irritated.

"What?"

"Can I see those books over there? I'm curious. And bored. And I need to socialize."

He grumbles, but nods. I smirk at Noriko, who rolls her eyes. Despite that, she does walk away with me cloths, so I consider it a win. I take the first book from the pile and look inside. It appears to be a collection of Greek myths. I decide to continue reading.

We spend some time reading in silence. Despite that, I think we grew a little closer today.

It is when he finishes his book that I remember I have the notebook. _Should I give it to him?_ Before he can ask me to give back his book, I hand him the present.

"Huh? Why would you…?" He seems perplexed at the idea of someone giving him a present, but considering how he is cutely blushing, he seems to like it. "…I'll take note of it in the future…"

 _Score!_

With the ice broken, I feel comfortable to ask him a question. "Hey, there is something that has been bothering me for a while. It's nothing major, but…"

He visibly bites back a sigh, but surprisingly nods. "Ask away."

"I know that you want to keep your talent a secret, and it is not my business, but how come it's not even listed in the E-Book? Even my likes and dislikes are within it and I sure don't remember ever giving them that information."

He doesn't respond. I'm not sure whether he wants to talk about it or if it's just that he doesn't know how to word it.

"…My father is the original head of this project."

 _What?_

"Or, well, was, because if Monokuma killed all the guards here, he probably killed him too."

 _Dang, losing your freedom, safety and father in two days. That must suck._

"My condolences…" I carefully tell him. He shakes his head. "As long as I don't have any proof, he might still be alive. In any case, because my father was the leader here, I gained access to a few privileges. Including the option to hide my talent. My best bet is that Monokuma can't access the files that hold my real talent in it, otherwise he would have told everyone already…"

"Why would you want to hide your talent anyway? It doesn't really matter if the point is that we were all supposed to be reformed."

Again, he is silent. When he finally answers, he can't look me in the eyes. "Embarrassment. Besides, outing my talent now…would be a very bad idea."

 _Somehow, I feel like pushing him for answers won't do me any good._ So, like any other person, I change the subject.

"Did you gain other privileges other than the ability to hide your talent?" I ask him. He frowns, but then shakes his head. "No, not really. I'm sure my father would have allowed more contact with my mother, but now…"

"Oh, I…understand…" I say awkwardly. Come to think of it, what would my parents think? Do they know I've been sent here? And if so…do they know the reason? Suddenly, this place feels a lot more claustrophobic.

"Forget it." He suddenly says, breaking me out of my thoughts. "The past is in the past, and all we can do is learn from it."

The way he says those words feels like he is hiding so much more than he lets on, and he refuses to elaborate on many subjects. However, I still think I've learnt a bit more about him.

I give him back his book before retreating to my room again. My E-Book suddenly gives off a sharp beep. Curious, I take the pad out of my pocket and look inside the profile list. There is a star next to everyone's name that I didn't notice before. Isamu's star has one point filled in with pink. There is also an additional tab.

" _Isamu's father is the original head of the facility and allowed him to hide his talent. He did this because he was embarrassed over something. Because of Monokuma's influence, he strongly suspects his father is dead, but there is no proof of it yet."_

"Interesting. This thing updates itself based on what I know. Huh…" Come to think of it, I remember one of the guards telling me about that little thing. Whelp, that makes things easier for me, because I sure as hell wouldn't think of filling that in.

A brief look at the clock tells me I still have some time left. So, I head out again.

This time, however, I decide to stop by the Kumachrome shop. Giving people presents seems to work, so I should definitely get something before trying to talk to someone. Kumachrome acknowledges my presence when I walk in by nodding at me.

I head straight for the Monomachine and put another coin in it. This time, a pair of binoculars falls out. _What the hell?_

…I exit the Kumachrome shop. With the gift in hand, I look around. _Who would like a pair of binoculars? Hmm, maybe Ainosuke…_

After a bit of searching, I find him in the cafeteria again. He looks out of the window, where a few other people are talking. When he notices me coming, he waves at me.

"Ah, Yurika! Nice to see you. Are you looking for someone to talk?"

 _How did he…? Never mind, it's Ainosuke. I should expect things like this._

"Yeah, I am actually. Do you mind if I…?"

"Take a seat. I'm sure you're familiar with relationships in fiction."

We spend time discussing our favorite ships in anime. I think we grew a little closer today.

 _Should I give him a present?_

I do, and the face he makes when he receives the binoculars is heartwarming. "Ah, it's rare for me to receive such a gift as opposed to the other way around. Thank you very much." He smiles brightly.

Despite the fact he is very happy with his present, it doesn´t take long before silence falls between us.

 _Oh shit, what do I say now?_ "Um, nice day out there, isn't it?" I try. _I want to slap myself._

He blinks confused, but then smiles. "Yes, it is. Such a beautiful day. Though I do prefer summer over spring. Couples walking down the streets, sun in my face, and everything is in full bloom."

I crack a smile. "Isn't spring supposed to be the time of blooming?"

"Spring is when plants _start_ blooming. I prefer them when they're fully grown and thick. Especially trees and bushes."

 _I…don't want to go too much into that._

"So, did you gain your title with your blog? Because that is pretty impressive." I casually ask him. He chuckles briefly. "While I do have a blog, I prefer to matchmake my clients face-to-face. That way, I can gain a better impression of how they act in everyday situations and around other people. That is why I have set up a real office for people to go to. And I meet quite a lot of people there. I even got into a magazine for helping out a famous internet star." He explains.

I can't help but be amazed at that. "Really? That's impressive. To have an internet star coming to you for advice…you must be very good at it. But it does sound like a tough job. There are so many people in the world."

He holds his chin in his fingers as he looks with deliberation. "You could say that. It's more of a process of analyzing. Look how people act and who they are. What kind of people they hang around with and why. How they think, what their worldviews are. Then find someone who compliments that."

"So, it is complicated." I frown.

"For me, it's really easy. But I guess someone else might think that. I did have a few clients who were really surprised to hear their answer. It sometimes contradicts with their expectations. I had school girls who were disappointed to learn their ideal mate was a nerd instead of the popular guy at school. Regardless, most of my feedback has been positive."

He smiles, but it's not his usual, slightly creepy smile. It a sincere one, even more so that normal. "Sometimes I run into my old clients, and I get to hear how happy they are with their partner. How they were afraid they were going to end up all alone without a soulmate. Their smiles…that's what I do it for…"

His words somehow tug at my heartstrings. It's sounds almost sad how he describes all of this and I suddenly feel like I've judged him too early.

 _He may be a little creepy and a bit too much into his work, but he definitely sounds like he has good intentions._

I think I learnt a bit more about Ainosuke today.

We end up talking a bit more about ships before I grab some dinner and head back to my dorm.

Just when I arrive, Monokuma's night-time announcement plays over the monitor, wishing everyone a good night. I wonder how long it will take until he gets bored. I also hope Rea will stay quiet for a little while. Who knows, maybe they end up working together?

I hit the bed early tonight and sleep a dreamless sleep.


	6. Chapter 1 part 2

**This one is a little short, but that's because I want to seperate the Fte's from the main story.**

* * *

The next morning comes far too quickly for me. I crack my joints as I slowly sit up. _Shit, I´m starting to get used to this room. How long have we been here anyway?_ _I'm pretty sure this is day four. Crap, time flies really fast._

I still can't get over the fact that we're supposed to stay here the rest of our lives.

The trip to the cafeteria is uneventful. I'm still wearing the stuff from yesterday, as Noriko hasn't given back my clothes yet. Homura is the one to bake breakfast today. I wonder if any of the guys know how to cook or bake.

"Morning Yurika."

Toshiya sits down next to me and smiles. I avert my eyes and swing my feet onto the table. "Morning Tossie."

"T-Tossie!?" He squeaks. I see out of the corner of my eye that he is flustered.

"Huh. Thought you wouldn't mind a nickname. If it bothers you, I can just call you Toshiya." I offer. He swallows and nods. "Yeah, that would be nice."

Awkwardness hangs in the air. And it is right at that moment that Noriko begins to speak. "Everyone, your attention please."

Immediately, Yuyami begins to groan. "This better not be another fucking rule."

Noriko pouts and Ekorin crosses her arms. "Rules is what keeps this place from falling apart. You should be grateful Noriko is our leader."

 _What?_

"Hold up, when was that decided!?" I immediately shout before anyone else has a chance to speak. Ekorin cocks her head at me.

"Well, we haven't decided officially, but we all agree Noriko has the best leadership qualities, correct?"

"She is the bossiest, is what you're trying to say." Shrini frowns at her. "We can't just decide on a whim who will become our leader."

Homura stands up, once again knocking her chair over. "Yeah, who says we need a leader anyways!?"

Ainosuke calmly sips from his tea. "I don't wish to intrude but having a leader will help us to be more cooperative with each other. It's good to have someone to keep the chaos from getting out of hand."

Homura glares daggers at him, but Masato nods firmly. "Every society has a leader. Even in the animal kingdom. And that is for a good reason. However, I do agree with Shinri that we need to vote over it."

Voices rise over each other, but I mainly hear the chuckles of someone close to me. Rea crosses her legs as she watches everyone debate. "Ah, someone who could lead us to great heights…or to our deaths. A fantastic idea. I vote Noriko."

I'm not sure if she is sarcastic or not and quite frankly, I don't even care. So, instead, I glance over to Toshiya, who is muttering to himself.

"…Leader wouldn't be bad…but Noriko's…might not go well…Anyone else…hmmm…"

His voice is cut off by two strong hands slamming onto the desk. "Shut the fuck up everyone!" Tomoe yells. "Look, I don't give a shit about whether we have a leader or not, but this is getting us nowhere."

"He is right. If we want to decide on this, we will need to vote." Shinri says. Noriko nods and goes up to stand on the table.

"Alright, put your hand up if you want a leader!"

I decide not to call her out and instead stay silent while a few people put up their hands. Surprisingly, Rea is among them. Further included in the group are Ainosuke, Masato, Kikoi (because of course), Ekorin, Isamu, Yoru, Mizuki, Noriko herself and after some hesitation, Toshiya and Hanako.

"I…really don't know what to vote." Hanako admits sheepishly. "But, a leader sounds cool with me, as long as we don't go overboard with rules. I still want my morning run. And evening run."

"We can have you as a scout." Noriko offers. Homura sneers. "Don't go all sweet and manipulative. At least be frank with it. You want control of the group, don't you?"

Noriko, obviously offended, backs off, nearly falling from the table. Isamu clicks with his tongue. "Hate to be the one telling you this, but more than half of the students just voted in favour of having a leader."

She glares at him, even though it does him nothing. "That doesn't mean _she_ gets to be our leader. I can be leader too if I want."

He glares back at her and I find his glare to be more chilling. "I'd take a goddamn rubber duck over you as leader."

Just as Homura stands up and balls her fist, someone puts a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down. This is no time to fight. If we want to decide on a leader, it should be a serious vote." Mizuki calmly says.

Ekorin smiles brightly and cheers. "Alright, all contenders for leadership, raise your hands!"

Three hands rise.

"Everyone who _isn't_ Rea." Ekorin frowns, poison coating her words.

One hand lowers.

"Alright, looks like it's between Noriko and Homura." The violinist beckons for the glassblower to come onto the table and after some eyerolling, she does.

"Okay everyone, go stand next to the person you want to be your leader!"

After a bit of waiting, a few people go to stand next to a few people. Unsurprisingly, I see that most favour Noriko. _It's probably because she is the only serious contender…_

However, Ainosuke suddenly grabs Shinri's hand and raises it. "I think we should include Shinri as candidate as well."

The critic flushes bright red as he tries to pull away his arm. "H-hey! What are you saying, I can't be a leader!"

Ainosuke simply blinks at him. "But as a critic, you know how to raise your voice over anyone else. You can provide excellent arguments and if your videos are anything to go by, you can certainly swing opinions and please a crowd."

Shinri finally manages to free his arms and starts rubbing it. "Those are just videos. And planning. With a lot of acting. Trust me, it's easier to speak to an audience when you can edit your footage. And make retakes. I…can't be a leader. I just can't. It would be a waste of time anyways."

Before he can explain himself, he quickly walks out of the cafeteria. Ainosuke looks dejected at him, before shrugging and going over to stand next to Noriko. "It was worth a shot."

The decision is quickly made without much more fuss. Noriko becomes our leader.

I sigh and lean back in my chair. However, Ekorin walks over to me. "Why didn't you vote?"

It takes me a moment to voice my opinion. "I don't really care. Whatever makes you people happy."

On the other side of the room, Tomoe nods. "I'm with Yurika. I don't give a shit about any of this. Just don't mess with me."

Noriko, clearly wanting to prevent more arguments, claps in our hands. "Now, back onto the topic I wanted to bring up in the first place before I was interrupted. I was thinking about making a cooking and cleaning schedule."

Groans emit from the room. "Seriously? Why?" Yuyami groans. I almost fear a relapse of the past argument and Noriko glares at him…and at me.

"Because clearly, I am the only one putting in any effort to keep things tidy around here. Which should not be happening."

"Hey, you said yourself two days ago that you needed to do something." I call her out. "So why are you complaining now?"

"Don't twist my words! Yes, I have been busy these past days cleaning here, but I shouldn't be the only one to bear that responsibility." She snaps at me.

"She has a point." Yoru says. "We should all be contributing to this!"

"Hanako and I are already contributing. We help cook the meals around here!" Homura shouts. The girl she mentions shrugs. "I'm not opposed to help with cleaning."

"It doesn't have to be much work if we work together." Noriko tries. "All I'm asking is for those who can cook to make a schedule to see who is cooking every day, for everyone to sort out their laundry and for everyone to keep their rooms clean."

"Then who is going to keep the rest of the school clean? This place is big, especially if there are going to be more locations opened up later." I ask annoyed. _Like hell I_ _'_ _m going to clean all of that._

"Glad you asked!"

The voice doesn't belong to any of us, but it's one we recognize. Monokuma jumps out of nowhere onto the table. This action is startling enough to make Noriko trip. She quickly jumps and lands gracefully before Tomoe can step in to save her, but the table gets flipped upside down.

"What the fuck are _you_ doing here?" Isamu's rage is more of a tranquil fury, but he makes his point across. "Haven't you already done enough harm to us?"

Monokuma hangs his head, pouting. "Aww, and I only came here to tell you that the cleaning of the school is already being managed by yours truly. Well, more specifically, Kumachrome."

"I-I suppose we're still in charge of keeping our own rooms clean, correct?" Masato nervously asks.

"Yup, yup! Just like cooking your own food. You're all at least 16, you should take some responsibility!" He scolds us, before breaking into snickers. "Unless you no longer have enough people to do so. Then I miiiight take some responsibilities of your shoulders."

I expect Noriko or Hanako to go into him, but surprisingly, it's Kikoi who takes a firm stand. "Not going to happen. I won't allow it."

"Wah, wah? Someone clinging to foolish hope? In my centre of despair? Seriously? Right in front of me?"

His confusion sounds fake. Like he almost accounted for her saying that.

"Yes, indeed." Hanako grins at him. "Give up already. None of us are going to kill here, or we already would have done so."

Monokuma doesn't answer, but the silence is just as chilling. "…I wonder about that."

Before any of us can interrogate him, he disappears just as quickly.

"Damn, that bastard is fast." Yuyami mutters.

"Regardless." Noriko says, shaking her head. "It's probably for the best to ignore him for now. In any case, those who can cook and wish to continue doing so for everyone, please raise your hand."

A few hands go up. It's mainly a few of the girls, but to my surprise, Masato also raises his hand. "My mother taught me how to cook." It's like he read my mind. "But maybe we should do it in pairs. I mean, we are making food for sixteen people every day. That is a lot of work."

Noriko nods and kneels near a bag I hadn't seen earlier to take out a clipboard. "Alright then. Masato, Kikoi, Hanako, Homura and I will take turns cooking. The rest is dismissed."

One by one, everyone gets up and leaves, off to do their own thing. I give Toshiya a quiet goodbye before getting up too. As I walk down the hallway, I see Rea skipping before me, as if she is completely oblivious to the entire situation.

 _Tsk, oblivious? Her? But…_

"Hey." I call out to her. To my surprise, she stops and turns.

"Hm?"

"Why did you vote to have a leader? You're someone who revels in chaos. So why vote for something that prevents chaos?"

"Aha, I think you misunderstood me." She says, the tiniest of smiles coating her face, and a strange mixture of poison and sugar coating her words. "I won't deny I like chaos, but just regular chaos gets boring after a while too. Besides, I doubt there will be much chaos here. People will mostly end up doing their own thing, get a bit paranoid, no real biggie."

"Then why?" I repeat.

"Simple. I prefer chaos extracted from order. Seeing what happens when their solutions fail. What happens when someone betrays the peace." Her eyes are cold enough to send a chill down my spine. "To cut it short, I like to see people break. Because that's when they show their true colours."

 _There she goes again, with that morbid smile and heartless reasoning. Why do I even try talking to her? Still, I can't help but wonder why…_

She chuckles and turns around. "But, I like you. So, I don't mind if you pay me a visit. I'm sure it will be loads of fun. Until then, bye, bye!"

With a wave that can't be anything other than mockery, she leaves me in the dark and with more questions than answers.

Before I know it, I'm back into my room, sitting on the bed. _Is everything really going to be okay? Are we really not going to kill each other? What motivations does Rea have? Hell, what motivations does Monokuma have?_

I gently slap my cheek and shake my head. _No, don't think about it too much. Focus on living here…and getting to know other people._

* * *

FREE TIME


	7. Chapter 1 Free Time Events II

FREE TIME

* * *

My first thought is to immediately head to the Kumachrome shop. Buying presents for people seems to work, so I should roll with that. My trip is the shop is short and Kumachrome rolls his eyes.

"Welcome to the Kumachrome shop. What do you need?" His monotone voice is much different from the words he uses. _Huh, he sounds like a bored store employee._

I stifle my laughter and point to the machine. He nods and goes back to reading…some sort of fake newspaper. Ignoring him is the best option. This time, I decide to use my remaining coins to get a few items at once.

 _Let's see what they have._

My first roll results in some…strange small item. It's pink and looks like a bean. There is a small letter with it as well. _"The Queen Bean. A plastic bean that radiates confidence and installs a royal feel in every woman. Maybe you should keep this one."_

 _What the fuck._

The bean goes into my pocket with the intent to ignore it or throw it away later. I place my hope in the next roll instead. Luckily for me, a sweet-smelling candle comes rolling out. _I have a feeling who would like this._

My last roll, with my last coin, contains a pair of adorable hair ties. I almost consider keeping them until I remember that I rarely do my hair in anything else than a side ponytail. Kind of a waste.

Armed with a bunch of items, I exit the shop. Kumachrome mutters something I don't catch. The warm sun shines brightly onto my face as I try to decide on where to go next.

Ainosuke is leaning against the wall of the main building, looking over some of the other inmates. He smiles and waves when he notices me looking.

 _Last time we hung out together, it wasn't that bad. Maybe I should talk to him again?_

I decide to do so, and he doesn't seem to mind me walking up to him.

"Ah, Yurika. Good to see you here. I've been watching the other students for a while now, but this isn't really the weather to be clothed in black. Want to accompany me back inside?"

 _Should I spend time with him? Yeah, I should._

I nod, and he grins. "Excellent! We can talk while we're walking. I may have found evidence of a deeper relationship between Homura and…"

I'm not interested in the affairs of others, but I politely nod as we head inside. It's a lot cooler and nicer in my opinion and Ainosuke agrees. I think we grew a little closer today.

I give him the candle. He smiles. "Ah, thank you very much. It's so nice of you to give me a gift."

The silence between us returns, but unlike last time, it's not that awkward. Still, it takes me a moment to word my question.

"Why are you dressed like that?"

"Hm?" He doesn't immediately understand.

"I'm not trying to judge you, but I'm very curious why you dress like an emo. Doesn't that turn away some people? Is there any real reason for it?"

He thinks about my answer, while I stress if I wasn't being too forward. _Great job, you may have just insulted him._

"Well, I don't think my fashion sense matters in my line of work. It is true that I help people of all ages, and some think my cloths are strange, but I would have gotten the same results if I were dressed as a stereotypical hippie, or as a playboy."

 _That does make a little sense. But still…_

"You could have just gone the casual route or be up to date with the latest fashion trends." I remark. He chuckles.

"There has been a period, when I was just starting, that I followed every new trend. However, trends change so much, it destroyed any chances of a stable, overall design. Not to mention it was terrible for my wallet. A good friend of mine said that I tried to be so catering towards people, it felt like I didn't have any identity of my own. That made me think."

And that's when I got it. "Oh, I see. So, keeping up with fashion trends wasn't profitable, so you had to find a style that defined you!"

He laughs at my enthusiasm. "Exactly. In the next weeks, I tried multiple styles. But no matter what I wore, people kept having an opinion over it."

I look down. My chest suddenly aches. "I know what you mean."

I'm not sure if he hasn't heard me, because he continues. "When I dressed relaxed, people said they couldn't take me seriously. When I dressed politely, I was too intimidating. When I dressed alternatively, they asked if I was doing drugs. When I dressed more 'cutely', they asked me if I was of age to be discussing things like this. It got tiring really fast."

"So why did you decide on emo?"

He flicks the bangs that covers his eye, ruefully smiling. "It was my friend's idea. She told me about emo culture and how it promotes wearing your emotions on your sleeves. I know there are a lot of controversies surrounding it, but at the same time, it felt perfect for me. Emotions are the most important thing in my work. Every day I deal with different emotions from the people I work with. Frustration, fear, loneliness, sadness, hope, despair, anger, disbelief, courage and happiness. I only think it's appropriate to wear something that symbolizes all of that emotion."

 _That…was much more than I was expecting._ But my mind can't help but spring to a few articles I've read.

"What about the stereotypes? That it promotes self-harm and suicide? Or about the gender bias? I've read that it's mainly for men. Since I'm sure you mainly work with girls, I don't think they would appreciate the 'lonely boy aesthetics'."

He clicks annoyed with his tongue. "I'm betting the suicide thing mainly comes from the fact that society says guys shouldn't feel emotions and when they do, it's bad. Of course, I can't vouch for everyone. By their definitions, I'm more of a scene kid than emo. But you'd be surprised by how many girls are into it. They think mysterious boys are intriguing. But I think that helping men actually get a girl, and the other way around, is a perfect way to rebel against stereotypes. And isn't rebelling a staple of alternative fashion?"

The twinkle in his eye is endearing. While I had my doubts before, now I'm sure I've judged him too early. He may be creepy sometimes, but he really is much more of a good guy than I originally gave him credit for.

"And hey," I smirk, "it's a good test of character too. If people can't see past your fashion sense, they sure as hell can see past anyone else's appearance either."

"I haven't even thought of that." He laughs and it's the best laugh I've heard from him yet.

I think I learnt a little more about Ainosuke today.

We talk for a little more before parting ways. I end up in my room again, but this time I take the time to check my E-Book. Just like with Isamu, the star has gained two points. It's a five-pointed star, so I wonder what will happen when I filled it out completely. _Maybe I'll get a reward._

Aside from the star, I also have two new entries. _Crap, I forgot to check the first one with Ainosuke._

" _While Ainosuke has a blog, he prefers to meet his clients face-to-face to have a better impression of them. He even managed to hook-up a famous internet star with someone. He says he does all of this for the happiness of other people."_

" _Ainosuke dresses the way he does after being recommended by a friend. Before that, he went through several styles, but it looked as if he was trying too hard. He likes the scene kid style and wants to break through stereotypes with his work."_

Satisfied with the summaries, I close the E-Book. _That summed up my experiences pretty well. It looks like I still have a bit of free time. What should I do?_

Going out for some fresh air seems nice, especially since the afternoon has rolled around, lowering the temperature. As I leave the dormitory, I see Hanako stretching. _Hanako has been nice to me so far. Maybe I should hang out with her?_

"Ah Yurika! Nice to see you! Don't worry, I'm just cooling down after my workout. Hey, wanna watch me? We can go for some food after. I'm starving."

After thinking it over, I nod. _I'm lucky I'm not getting roped in some workout…_

I watch her as she does some more stretches. We end up chatting a bit about exercise (and my lack thereof). I think we grew a little closer today.

 _Oh, that's right, I still have the hair ties. Maybe she'll like them?_

Her smile is ever so bright when I hand them to her. "Aw, these are lovely! Thank you very much!"

Tired, she falls onto the grass. "Oof, that was one workout. I'm glad I have room to run here. I just need to stop running into other people."

I snort. "Can't really be helped when your track is where everyone else walks. They should have a separate field for you. Then you won't crash into anyone."

She shakes her head. "No, that doesn't really matter. I've never had such a track field before, so I'm used to people walking in the way. I just need to avoid them more."

That makes me raise an eyebrow. "Really? Were you never in a track club?"

"I was for a while, but I just didn't have the time. Between school, work and homework, there just wasn't enough time. And since clubs weren't obligated at my school, it didn't really matter."

"Work?" I inquire. "Did you have a part-time job?"

"Two, actually." She says too casually for me. "As convenience store clerk and as dishwasher in a bar. I used to work in a daycare before the bar, but I could only work on Sundays. So, I was forced to get a job in the later hours."

"You had _two_ part-time job!? I can't see myself even applying for one!" I exclaim in surprise. She giggles. "It wasn't easy the first time around. But after two failed tries, you start to get the hang of it. Although, now that I think about it, they could have just as well refused me because I was only thirteen…"

 _She tried to get a job at 13 years old?!_

Either she doesn't notice my face full of disbelief or she ignores it. "But yeah, I had to do a lot of running ever since I was little. School was quite a distance away from me and I had the tendency to wake up late. I never got really much into running as a sport until much later."

I blink slowly. "Yeah, that makes sense. I mean, if I had to run miles every day I would get fit too. But, if you live so far away from school, why didn't you take the bus? Or the metro?"

The smile on her face fall very quickly and comes back even faster. Except that this smile is too wide. Too bright. Too fake. "The metro doesn't get anywhere near the place I live at. Same as with busses. Besides, what's so bad about walking in fresh air? Gives you a nice workout. You should try it."

She pokes me friendly in my side, but I have difficulty reciprocating it. _She is holding something back. Is she…ashamed of something?_

"Me? Working out? No way. I have the physical body of a potato. A couch potato." I grin. She crosses her arms and shakes her head.

"Oh no, that won't do. Looks like I might have to train you. Who knows, maybe it'll end up helping you." She grins back and suddenly I feel very, very afraid.

"Wait, no, I'm-"

"Alright! It's decided! I'm going to train you! Ooh, this is exciting! I never trained someone before. I wonder what I should start with first…"

 _She's not even listening anymore! Looks like I'm not going to get out of this one…_

Despite that, I think I little a little more about Hanako today.

I manage to sneak out while she is distracted. I return to my room.

"Okay, let's see what the E-Book says…"

" _Hanako, to my surprise, has never been in a track club because she has always been too busy. She worked two jobs after school and used to have a third, before being forced to quit. She has been trying to get a job since she was 13 and doesn't seem fazed by it."_

The night-time announcement plays and after a quick uneventful diner in the cafeteria, I go straight to bed.

* * *

 **The hardest thing about Free Time Events is pacing.**

 **In any case, missdemonshadow, MatNErt and TheRoseShadow21, thank you very much for joining this ship of despair. Also, Rose, thank you for your kind reviews. They really make me smile.**


	8. Chapter 1 part 3

BING BONG BING BONG

"Rise and shine everyone! Today promises another despairingly beautiful day, so let's get moving!"

… _It's official. I hate the morning announcements._

Still grumbling from being disturbed from my sleep, I crack my joints and ponder whether I should sleep in. Unfortunately, I don't make the decision. The person who knocks on my door does.

I yawn loudly and slowly walk towards the door. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."

Of all the people I hoped it would be, it's a very pissed off Noriko. She shoves a pile of folded cloths in my arms and glares at me. "Do not expect me to do this every time for you."

"What? It's a good deal. I socialize, while you get to do something." I smirk.

"…Cafeteria. Fifteen minutes. Don't you dare sleep in. And take a shower. You reek. Honestly, how irresponsible can one person be?"

"Alright, alright, I got it. See ya."

I close the door before she can rant at my any longer. I sniff my armpits and decide that yeah, I do need a shower. The folded pile gets the honor of being neatly placed onto my bed, while my other clothes get thrown into a corner. Hopefully I can get Noriko to keep doing this.

The water is thankfully warm and welcoming. _This place really isn't that bad of a place. Even at the cost of opening up to people._

Fresh clothes and clean skin is something I didn't realize I would miss until I'm standing fully dressed before the bathroom mirror. And strangely, I feel a bit more energetic from it.

 _Alright, time to feed my stomach._

Like usual, I'm one of the last to come in. I decide to take a seat with Toshiya again.

"Morning."

"Ah, good morning Yurika. Did you sleep well tonight?" He friendly asks.

"Yeah. Weirdly enough, ever since Monokuma does the night-time and morning announcements, I feel a bit more rested."

The look he gives me is a bit strange. "Pardon me if this feels like a rude question, but did you never have a strict sleeping schedule before? Or were you plagued by insomnia?"

 _Oh, damn, that's…a tough question._ "I think it's the schedule. My parents were never too strict on when I should go to bed, so I often ended up missing a lot of sleep."

He nods and smiles. "That may be the explanation. I've read that if you keep to a strict schedule, even in the weekend, you end up getting a lot more sleep."

"I'll take note of that. Not that I much of a choice. The morning announcement is loud enough to wake me up and I've don't have much else to do after night-time."

"How peculiar. I certainly thought of you as a person who would read in bed or something. I'm ashamed to admit I've been rather engrossed in one of the books my dorm has provided for me." He wonders. "Do you not have any books in your room?"

I shake my head. "Nah, not really. I do have a computer in my room, but there is no internet on it. So, that leaves my options fairly small."

"But, if my theory is correct, everyone should have something in their room that corresponds to their talent, or at least to their personality. Shouldn't you have a 3D-program in yours, taking into account your talent as 3D-Designer?"

"Eh, I've never checked to be honest. I'm betting there is, but frankly, I'm feeling very uncreative lately. Maybe for the better. Once I've started, there is no escape from the dark side." I joke.

"Look! Yurika gets it! Once you've started on a project, there is no going back!" Homura shouts, gesturing loudly.

"I'm fairly sure everyone is dedicated to their work once they've started something." Mizuki says dryly.

"Still! That's 20% of all the reasons to keep going!"

"What happened to the other 80%?" Shinri asks amused.

"My dog and gay."

"Ah."

…I'm not sure if I want to know the context behind this.

Nevertheless, despite the entire situation, despite our doubts, despite Rea, the atmosphere feels nothing more but relaxed. Just a bunch of teenagers messing around and causing ruckus. Just…normality. It's funny that the first normality in such a long time is found in such a strange place. It makes me want to lean back into my seat and watch as 15 crazy teenagers goof off with each other.

But nice things never last long.

A black and white flash startles everyone. Monokuma swings his head back and forth, pausing occasionally, as if to observe the situation.

"What the fuck do _you_ want, you fucking piece of shit." Tomoe growls, standing up straight and making himself as intimidating as possible.

"Weeeeelllllll…." He drawls out. "It's come to my attention that there haven't been any murders yet. Strange, because it's almost been a week. I surely thought someone would've kicked the bucket by now."

Noriko swallows her fears away and steps bravely forward. "It's means your plan has failed. Instead of growing anxious of each other, we have grown accepting of each other. Give up."

"Give up? After all my hard work?" Monokuma wonders, but there is a clear mocking tone to his words.

"Hell yeah! You ain't scaring us!" Hanako balls her fists. "You better believe we're not gonna follow your stupid plan!"

"Your attempt to turn us against each other has failed." Shinri glares at the bear. "We have only grown stronger together."

"That's right!" Yoru cheers. "We're going to work together to defeat you!"

Ainosuke chuckles. "And as you can see, not even Rea is willing to murder. And if she won't hurt someone here, no one will."

Monokuma remains silent while the students, one by one, speak up against him.

"Haha! You can't scare us! We're tough! And even if one wants to try, I'm here to knock them down!" Yuyami boasts. "Hey, why don't we beat him up right now and force him to let us go?"

"Have you forgotten that he has still fucking drones with machine guns to mow us down if we do as much as touch him?" Isamu sharply points out and Yuyami scratches his neck awkwardly.

"Oh, haha, that's right."

"Fuck yeah though! Let's show him we're not afraid of him!" Homura yells, cracking her knuckles.

"Everyone, calm down, this is getting a bit out of hand." Toshiya tries to calm down the group.

"Fuck off Toshiya!" Homura snaps at him. "Don't be a fucking pussy!"

Mizuki sighs loudly. "Idiots."

Tomoe growls at her. "I heard that."

"Guys what the fuck. We literally just established we're a team and now we're fighting each other already?" Shinri says but no one but me hears him.

"Yup, leave it to this 'class' to contradict our statement and fight in the middle of a crisis."

At least my sarcasm hasn't fallen on deaf ears. Masato chuckles while Kikoi lightly slaps his arm. "Don't laugh about that, this is serious."

"Sorry, sorry. It just sounded so funny."

"Charming."

"AHA!" Monokuma's yell shuts up everyone in the cafeteria. "I know what to do."

Before any of us can even process what he said, he disappears, only for the monitor to flicker on.

"Ahem. This is an official announcement from the facility's headmaster. Please come to the gymnasium immediately for a very important announcement. Attendance is mandatory, so no skipping like last time! Hope to see you there!"

Rea, who strangely enough hasn't said a word up til now, jumps off her seat. "Alright, let's what Monokuma's got in store for us."

Ainosuke quickly gets up and starts walking towards the door. "If you'd excuse me…" He mutters as he leaves. _He probably doesn't want to risk getting into contact with the drones again. Can't say I blame him._

Mizuki looks at Noriko. "So, what do we do now, _leader?_ "

It sounds very, very spiteful and for a moment I wonder why she is so hostile towards everyone. Noriko takes a moment to think before sighing deeply. "As much as I hate to say it, we really don't have a choice in the matter. I'm sure Toshiya and Yurika can attest to that."

"Yeah, I don't wanna run into those drones again, thank you very much." I reply.

Everyone is nervous, that I can tell. Some express it more, like Shinri and Yoru, while others try to keep their nerves steady, like Isamu and Tomoe.

"Fucking hell…what have we gotten ourselves into…" I hear Shinri muttering as he walks past me.

Hanako flashes a nervous smile at me. "W-well, let's go then. Want to go together?"

I just nod. One by one, we walk out of the cafeteria and towards the gym. Homura cracks her knuckles. "Dammit, I wish I could punch him in the face."

"Bad idea." Masato states the obvious. "But I can't say I don't feel the same way."

"We…just have…must…just bear with it. Nothing we can do anyway. Just gotta…just have to stay together." Kikoi softly tries to comfort her. Homura just grumbles.

The gym is just like last time. There is a speaker stand there, but no Monokuma. Oddly though, Kumachrome is standing there, adjusting what looks like a projector. "Fucking Monokuma…putting me up with this shit…"

I decide to ignore him.

"We're here. Where the fuck is that bastard?" Tomoe growls. "Don't tell me he made us come here for nothing."

"Monokuma definitely wouldn't have made Kumachrome mess with a projector if that were the case." Mizuki deadpans.

Ekorin fakes a hopeful smile. "Maybe he just wants to watch a film with us?"

Isamu huffs like usual. "As if. He should hurry up though, I'm not standing around here all day."

"Actually," Monokuma voice calls out "miss violinist here isn't far from the truth."

Once again, he appears on stage, curiously dressed in a blue elegant suit. He adjusts his bow a bit before turning to his brother. "Tell me it's ready, dear brother."

The bear in question just sticks up his…thumb and with a clap of his hands, the lights go out and a spotlight turns on, focusing our attention on Monokuma.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Today I have gathered you for a very special announcement."

"Get on with it already!" Yuyami boos. Thankfully, the headmaster decides to ignore him.

"My adorable mascot appearance has already been featured so much! Mugs, T-shirts, plushies…but, a true mascot always tries to aim bigger and better. My cute voice could be doing so much more and oh boy does it have a lot to say. That's why I've been working on something very special for my very special fans…"

Yoru shivers besides me. "I don't like where this is going…"

"May I present to you…" He points to the wall behind him. The projector spring to life. "…Our brand-new talk show: The Despair Show! Juicy gossips about the latest stars, despairing news from all over the world and featuring amazing guests, voluntarily or involuntarily!"

Pictures, mainly featuring the bear, slide on screen, accompanied by cheesy music blaring from the speakers. Most of the other faces on camera are blurred and I swear I even see scenes with blood on stage.

"And for our pilot, we have gathered some very juicy info about stars you may or may not have known existed. That's right, we have some dirt on the sixteen juvenile Ultimates imprisoned in Hope's Rehabilitation Centre! Always wondered why these poor children have gone to jail, well, after this episode, you'll know exactly why! These teens, whose crimes were kept from the public to 'give them a fair chance at a second life' are going to be exposed! No more secrets, no more safekeeping, no more unfair privileges for the talented. Because in two days…"

He jumps on his stand and throws his arms in the air.

"This episode will be broadcasted everywhere and the whole world will know their crimes!"

 _In two days…everyone will know our crimes?_

I can't help but glance at the rest of the class. Most are stunned silent, watching in horror as the bear laughs. Seeing the look on their faces, I doubt anyone wants to have the world knowing what they'd done. Even Rea is raising a curious eyebrow at it.

"You…you can't do this!"

We all turn to look at Shinri, who is glaring at Monokuma with fire in his eyes. "That's a break of privacy! You can't-"

"Upupup…and I thought reviewers of all people would know that journalists don't care. That showmen don't care. If it can draw out viewers, it will be shown. Besides, who in their right mind would care about privacy when they know what kind of horrible things you have done…and got away with rehabilitation!"

Shinri visibly pales at the words and my chest is starting to feel tight. _Soon, everyone will know what I did…and I will be the only who won't. What…what if I did something terrible?"_

"Of course," Monokuma continues as if he were never interrupted in the first place. "it would be very inappropriate to broadcast if someone of the cast would have something…very bad happen to them. Like, being the target of murder, perhaps. I'd be forced to pull the plug on my brand-new show before it could air its first episode!"

"So, in other words…" Rea concludes "if we don't want the rest of the world, including friends and family, to know what bad things we did, someone has to die. Preferably, get murdered by another student."

Monokuma chuckles darkly. "You all are here because you failed to get away with your crime. Now, if you don't want the world to know of your failures and escape this place, you'll have to pull of the perfect crime…and get away with murder."

Yoru curls up into a ball on the floor. "No, no, no, shut up! Shut up! Stop talking!"

"Upupu…aww, are we upsetting our poor astronomer? Those are the rules you know. Get exposed or play the game. Or…"

The bear jumps off the stage, casually strolling over to Yoru, who weakly back off.

"Do you prefer to die instead? Well, those who are dead can't kill you. So, you might find there are more benefits than you originally thought."

"Enough!"

I turn my head and see Homura charging at Monokuma, fury coating her expression. She draws back her leg.

"Fuck off, you furry reject!"

Her leg comes straight for the bear, who does nothing to stop her. Alarm bells are screaming in my head and only pure fear is stopping me from interfering. _She's going to get herself killed!_

There is a flash of brown and suddenly, Homura is flying through the air and landing face-front on the floor, Kikoi pinning her down and holding her arm.

"Being reckless is only going to get someone killed. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgement. We all hate Monokuma, but right now, the only way to protest is to keep our bonds stable and reject his game."

The look on the dark girl's face is absolutely terrifying and I feel lucky to have her on our team.

"Ow, fuck, sure, just get off! You're gonna break my fucking arm!"

"Oh, wait, s-sorry, I, eh, keep underestimating my strength…not that you are strong or anything!"

 _Aaaaannnnddd she is back to her shy self again. Jeez, didn't think people could change faces so fast._

"Ignoring what just happened…" Monokuma drawls, jumping back on stage. "keep the time limit in mind and have fun! So long!"

Both he and Kumachrome disappear and once again, we're left in a gymnasium with a heavy atmosphere. Masato has kneeled near Yoru and is softly talking to him, making sure to keep a bit of distance. Noriko is lecturing Homura, who just rolls her eyes at her. Most people are quiet though, slowly trying to take in all of the information.

There is the sound of the door creaking and everyone almost at once looks at the source of the sound. Rea is standing blissfully in the doorway.

"Aah, how the stakes have risen. I wonder who will be first to crack."

"So you don't even care that your reputation will be ruined in two days?" Hanako screams at her and I'm almost afraid she's going to do the same thing as Homura.

Rea merely shakes her head. "Nah, to be honest, this is actually a win-win situation for me. But I'll enjoy seeing what will happen to this so-called class. It's a good reminder we're in a game of life and death after all. Friendships aren't going to erase reality, you know? But, do as you like. I'll enjoy the outcome either way. See ya."

She walks out and Hanako swears. "Fucking privileged bitch…"

"Don't do anything reckless." I hear myself saying to her. She freezes but turns around with a painfully fake smile. "Eh, don't worry. I'm much smarter than that! I'm not that dumb to kill her. I mean, didn't Monokuma mention we have to carry it out in secret?"

Ainosuke, still shaken, nods with her. "Monokuma is someone who enjoys the suffering of others, much like Rea. He wants the game to be as challenging as possible. He still must have an ace up his sleeve."

"And the only clue we have are his words…" Toshiya mumbles.

"Great! Just great!" Shinri yells, throwing his arms up in the air. "Not only am I going to die here, but if I don't die quick enough, everyone in the world will shun me. Fantastic. Exactly how I want to die: with shame."

"Shut the fuck up Shinri. No one's dying here. Not if I have a say in it." Tomoe growls.

Ekorin gives him a shaky smile. "T-that's right, n-no person here is so uncivilized to kill someone over such a thing."

"It's not like we will ever experience the broadcast, as we all are trapped here for the rest of our lives." Mizuki points out. "In a way, this motive is fairly useless. Only someone who holds too much value in keeping secrets and reputation will be affected by this motive. And it's not like murder is a very honorable thing to do."

Despite their words, the critic still looks angry. "Whatever. I'm going to cool my head. Don't approach me."

He leaves the gym and slams the door behind him.

"Jeez, what got him so worked up?" Yuyami mutters. "Talking as if he knows he's gonna die already."

Soft sobs come from near me. I look to see Yoru still sitting on the ground, crying. Masato sits near him, talking soft but firm words.

"No, no, no, don't say that. Look, I know it looks unhopeful, but you've got to pull through. Please don't lose trust in us. You'll be alright…"

It doesn't seem to work. He keeps crying. Isamu sighs loudly and leaves the gym without a word. I'm briefly considering staying, but I realize I'm the one who is the least capable of calming down a sad person. I leave the gym.

The moment I close the door of my dorm behind me, I feel incredibly tired. It's very similar to what happened when Monokuma and Kumachrome first showed up and announced the killing game. However…

"Hey, Monokuma. I know you're watching using the surveillance cameras. Come out."

It's dead quiet. For a moment, I'm afraid it didn't work. But then a familiar black and white bear jumps out of seemingly nothing.

"My, my, what's this? A student asking for my guidance?"

"Cut the crap. I just need to know…what are my parents going to learn after two days?"

He remains silent. The longer he stays still, the more anger builds up in my chest.

"Answer me!" I yell. "You must have access to my memories! What happened to me!? What did I do to get here!?"

"Upupu…detective novels aren't fun if the surprise is spoiled at the beginning. Wouldn't it be more fun to figure it out yourself?"

I want to scream at him, but he disappears just as quickly as he appeared.

"Come back here! I'm not done with you! Tell me! Tell me about my past!"

Nothing.

I bang my fist against the wall. The pain that spreads through my hand helps me calm down. _The bastard! He knows what happened to me! Ugh, is this his idea of wanting me to commit murder?_

Frustrated, I fall onto the bed. I bury my face in the pillow and let out a scream. _None of this makes sense! Nothing! What is so special about me that my memory needed to be removed?_

I don't know for how long I'm angry, but eventually, it slowly melts away, leaving me just tired and stresses. I don't even realize I'm falling asleep.

…

*Knock knock*

Again, I'm awoken by knocks on my door. I try to rub the redness off my cheeks and slowly shuffle towards the door. Unlike before, I carefully open it and take a peak.

"Hey." Hanako is still trying to be cheerful. "Dinner's almost ready. Are you coming?"

Despite the fact that Hanako is probably one of the more harmless people here, I can't help but wait. She awkwardly rubs her arm. "I'm not going to hurt you. You can trust me. You're hungry too, right?"

My stomach makes the decision for me. I fully open the door and step out. For a moment I'm afraid she's going to attack me, but she just smiles brightly at me.

"Come on! It's going to get cold if we don't hurry!"

I can't help but give a soft smile back as I close the door and walk with her to the main building and the cafeteria.

Everyone is already seated and despite the fact a few of them are trying to entertain the others, it's clear tensions are huge.

"You've got to see me working. It's like, the biggest flames you've ever seen!" Homura talks loudly to a small group of people.

Kikoi plays a bit with her short hair. "I don't want to discourage you…but somehow I doubt that."

Masato's grin grows wide. "You should see one of her shows. She is amazing! A huge motorcycle, cars to jump over and explosions! It blew my mind the first time I watched it."

Kikoi blushes and ducks away as Yoru beams. "That does sound amazing! I don't think I've got lots to show…"

"The stars are very interesting you know. You could tell more about them." Mizuki cheers him up.

On the other table, Shinri and Ekorin appear to be discussing with each other.

"You can't just claim a work of art garbage because of superstitions. You need to build your logic." The critic frowns at her.

"But you're work revolves around giving your opinion to people, right? So how does that make you any different from me?"

"Because I try to look at other perspectives too. You just take favorites because it's convenient for you. You're a violinist, of course you're going to prefer classical music. You need to look from more perspectives."

At a third table, Ainosuke and Toshiya are talking.

"Rituals are an important part of my life." Toshiya tells his companion. "I always attend as many group meals as possible. Strict schedules help me maintain structure in my life."

"Ah, how interesting. Not interested in breaking from those rituals?"

"Unfortunately, no. I guess it could be helpful to keep me a bit on edge, but I don't feel very confident…"

"Hm, I think you should try. As for me, coming to these meetings is a way to see everyone interact with each other."

Hanako guides me to the kitchen and gives me a tray of dinner. As I walk out, I see Yuyami animatedly talking to Tomoe. Isamu and Noriko are sitting quietly at the table next to them. Unsurprisingly, Rea sits alone, waving at me.

I ignore her and go sit at a table with Hanako.

Dinner goes by peacefully, not even Rea trying to throw the group in discord. It's at the end up the meal however, when a few people get up to leave, that Noriko climbs on the table and ticks the glass in her hand with a spoon.

"Everyone, your attention please."

"Tsk, this is getting annoying very quickly." Homura snarls. Noriko pretends she didn't hear her.

"I know everyone is on edge after what Monokuma told us. These upcoming two days are going to be hard. Because of this, I feel obligated to make the group feel as safe as possible. Now, I know the doors can be locked and that we made a curfew, but, as certain people stated earlier, there is no guarantee that everyone is taking this rule into account. Until today."

She takes out a few papers and a few flashlights. "Using the Kumachrome shop, I have purchased a few flashlights. And I want to use these flashlights and a few volunteers to help me patrol the school grounds tonight."

 _A patrol?_

"Who'd want to sign up for that?" Yuyami laughs, but a hand cuts him off. Noriko nods at Kikoi.

"I want to join in."

"Great! Anyone else? The more people we have, the more ground we can cover."

Masato's hand goes up. "I'll do it as well."

"Patrol isn't meant for making out, you know." Rea smirks at him and the fisherman flushes red. "No, that's not my intention at all!"

"Guess I'll fucking help out as well." Tomoe grumbles.

Yoru enthusiastically raises his hand. "Oh, oh! Do me! Do me! I can stay up all night! No problem."

Noriko visibly flinches. "I'm…very sorry Yoru, but I need someone with a…more well-build body structure. You're a bit too light. And I don't think you'd have the attention span. We're patrolling, not stargazing."

Hanako thinks for a moment before raising her hand too. "Let me do it then!"

Noriko nods while Yoru looks down with disappointment.

"Is that everyone?"

"Actually," Ainosuke speaks up to my surprise "I'd like to join in as well."

She seems hesitant. "Are you sure? It's not going to be easy."

The matchmaker chuckles. "Ah, don't worry. It wouldn't be the first time I spend the entire night running about. Besides, I've got good eyes."

Noriko gives in and jumps off the table. "Alright, volunteers, come here to pick up your route."

The five volunteers walk up to her, each receiving a paper. Hanako grins at her. "Ah, looks like I've got the ground around the buildings. Nice."

Kikoi reaches into her leather jacket, but frowns. "I think I left them in my other jacket…"

Masato takes the paper from her. "Don't worry, I'll read for you."

"Looks fine to me. Don't think I'll be doing this every night tho." Tomoe grumbles.

Noriko looks determined. "We will go for as long as the group needs us. And hereby I officially christen us as the Patrol Squad! Looking out for our friends and preventing harm! Go Patrol Squad!"

She cheerfully raises her fist and after a moment, the others join in. "Go Patrol Squad!"

"Alright, to bed everyone. We'll take care of this." Noriko claps in her hands, as if we're school children.

I don't protest however, leaving the cafeteria in silence. I quickly arrive in my dorm and fling my jacket over the railing of my bed.

 _Oh boy, a patrol squad. I hope this ends well for us. Well, it's not like I had any reason to stay up any longer._

Tired from today's events, I drop onto my bed and quickly fall asleep.

...

BING BONG BING BONG

"Good morning everyone! Rise and shine, because it's a beautiful day! Remember, only one more day before the time limit ends!"

I groggily wake up from my unrestful slumber. Sleeping during daytime is a bad idea if you want to get any sleep during the night. Especially when you've been stressed out to hell and back. I crack my joints and roll out of bed.

After a few tries, I finally manage to get up, take my jacket and leave the room. I walk down the steps, greet a few people and head straight for the cafeteria.

Noriko is making breakfast this time. I give her a sleepy 'good morning' and take a plate. I take a seat next to Hanako and eat in silence.

Because I am so tired, it takes me a while to realize the group is quieter than usual. _Huh, is everyone tired? I guess the patrol group is._ I look back and see Noriko pacing around. I now notice she looks rather worried.

Unfortunately, I don't get a chance to ask her what's wrong, because the doors swing open and a tired-looking Yoru walks in. "Morning everyone!"

However, he catches onto the quiet atmosphere sooner than I did. "Is…something the matter?"

Yuyami drums with his fingers on the table. Kikoi shifts uncomfortable on her seat. Even Homura is quiet. Eventually, it's Mizuki who answers.

"Ainosuke and Toshiya are late."

All of the sudden, my chest aches, like something slammed into it. _No, it…that's not possible._

"They could have overslept." Hanako offers but Noriko shakes her head.

"I would be considering that possibility had it been Yurika or Yoru, but those two have been coming on time every morning. To suddenly not do that is…worrying."

"Not to mention," I speak up quietly, remembering their conversation from yesterday "yesterday I heard them talking to each other. Toshiya said he has strict schedules, while Ainosuke uses these morning meetings to see everyone interact with each other."

"I-I think we should…start looking for them…" Kikoi rubs her arm. Masato disagrees. "It'll be fine. Let's not think too much into this. For all we know, Yoru may be right and they'll come in here sooner or later."

Noriko takes a firm stand. "No, I agree with Kikoi. Even if it's just nothing, we should make sure they're okay. Especially after Monokuma's motive from yesterday."

"It would explain a lot of they kicked the bucket." Rea innocently says, playing with a braid. Homura threateningly stands up, cracking her knuckles.

"Do you want to get kicked out again?" She growls.

"Easy everyone, settle down. Let's split up into groups and search for them together!" Ekorin says. Yoru immediately latches onto Mizuki.

"Can we go together?"

"This…isn't like a group assignment, you know."

"I know…but still, I trust you."

"Mind if I join?" Homura asks. "I totally beat up anyone who threatens you."

The silver-haired girl rolls her eyes. "Whatever. We will investigate the first floor."

The three of them walk out. Shinri looks at Isamu and coughs. The guy in question simply shrugs. "Sure. Let's inspect the dormitory. Might as well start with the obvious."

As they leave, I see Kikoi and Masato standing up together. "We'll check the gym!" He yells as they exit the cafeteria.

Rea whistles and makes eye contact with Yuyami. "I want to see the Kumachrome shop."

The poor boy seems a bit caught off guard but runs off with her anyways. This prompts Noriko to frown at them. "Ekorin, let's follow them to make sure they don't get in trouble."

Her companion blinks, but then nods.

"This is bullshit." Tomoe growls and before we can stop him, he is gone. It's just me and Hanako now. She laughs a bit awkwardly.

"Shall we go together then? We can explore the grounds around school."

"Fine. You're probably the expert on that front. Wait, did you see anything on your morning run this morning?" I ask.

"No. I was really tired when the night was over—still am—and Noriko asked me to guard the dormitory until the morning announcement. I didn't have a chance to run this morning."

 _Dammit. That would have shortened our search ground significantly._

"Guess we'll just have go out and search." I note. She nods and the two of us walk out of the cafeteria.

When we walk out of the building, I see Tomoe looking around. I grin evilly and walk up to him. "Looking for them?"

"Wha- of course I am! I'm not an asshole like Rea or Isamu."

"Calm down Tomoe, Yurika was just teasing." Hanako giggles.

"Tsk…in any case, I've looked around a bit, but I haven't seen them anywhere. The ground seems undisturbed as well, so they weren't buried either. Doubt many of us would know how to properly bury a body anyway."

 _Buried…_

That single word is enough to send a hundred chills down my spine. It reminds me just where I am. Hanako doesn't look relax at the mention of that word either. _I'm relieved we ruled out that possibility._

"Have you investigated the back of the school too?" I ask him, and he shakes his head.

"Nah, just the ground here. I wanted to make sure they weren't buried here. Because that would be a pain in the ass."

Hanako quickly grabs my arm and practically pulls me away. "Then let's go check out that part! See ya later!"

He nonchalantly waves and the two of us walk away. She sighs deeply, and I don't have to ask why. "Hey, don't worry too much about it. I mean, they could be, but let's just stall these thoughts until we actually find them."

Her smile is a little sincerer when she looks up at me and nods. "Yeah, you're right. No use wailing over something that hasn't happened!"

As if the universe was waiting for it, a loud scream pierces through the air. And it comes from just behind the corner of the back of the school. Hanako and I share a worried, but mostly scared look before we dash around the corner.

And it was right there, that the reality of the killing game hit me for real.

...

Masato is standing near an unconscious Toshiya, but his eyes are fixed on a much greater horror, leaning against the back of the school.

Ainosuke is slumped up against the wall. Blood is leaking from his back and is splattered everywhere. His eyes are closed, but I don't have to wonder if he is asleep or not.

Hanako screams, but her scream could have just as well been mine.

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

 **The Crow Cries When The Swan Stops Singing**

 **Deadly Life**


	9. Chapter 1 Investigation

_It's not real._

But it is. Ainosuke's corpse is lying just a few meters from me. Despite that, it just feels unreal to see it belong to the guy who was alive and well just a day ago. It feels more like a hyper realistic 3D model and for a moment, I'm inclined to move my hand to the off-button on my computer.

But Hanako's cries pulls me back into reality. Ainosuke is dead. And there is no reload option.

BING BANG BING BONG

"Ahum! A body has been discovered! Please make your way to the back of the school. Immediately."

 _What the fuck was that?_

"Holy shit! Is someone dead down there!?"

I direct my head to the source of the shout and look up. Homura is leaning over the railing, Yoru trying to hold her back.

"Is that fucking blood!?" She continues to scream. A part of me wants to shout back, but I've lost my voice. Homura leans back and turns her head, presumably to talk to Mizuki. Then she disappears.

At this point, Hanako is reduced to a wailing mess. I am frozen in place however and cannot help her. I hear footsteps behind me as more people stumble upon the scene.

"Jesus fuck…" Tomoe mumbles at the sight. Kikoi buries her head in her hands but doesn't say a word. Masato looks torn between keeping watch over Toshiya's body and going up to his friend.

Eventually, more people approach. Noriko practically shoves Kikoi out of the way. Yuyami tries to do the same with Tomoe, but horribly fails to move the bigger and more muscular guy.

"The announcement?" Noriko demands, but I can't do anything other than to step aside. Ekorin quickly covers her eyes while Noriko slaps her hand for her mouth. I can hear her mutter a soft 'why' into her hand.

"Huh. Hoped he would last a bit longer. Oh well."

Rea's casual mannerisms feel too alien to be real, but I know all too well that this is in-character for her.

We're all too busy being in shock to mind her. It doesn't take long for the next two, Isamu and Shinri, to arrive. Shinri takes one look at the body before going green and diving around the corner. Isamu on the other hand pales until he is white.

"What…WHAT THE FUCK!" Tomoe suddenly screams as he runs over to the body. Monokuma's sudden appearance makes him stop in his tracks, however.

"Hey, hey, hey! You can't just approach the body like that! You need to be careful, otherwise you'll disturb the body and miss out on a bunch of clues."

"Why the fuck should I care about that!? One of us just died!" He snarls at the bear.

"Upupu…because it could be the deciding factor in whether you live or die."

"I…what?" Isamu mutters, eyes wide.

Right at that moment, the last three students approach the scene. Yoru immediately tears up at the sight. "Two people…"

Masato shakes his head. "No, Toshiya is alive. Unconscious, but alive. He must have passed out or something."

"That doesn't take away the fact that Ainosuke has been killed. Worse, killed at the hand of one of the people here." Mizuki says as she grabs the hem of her dress.

Homura balls her fists. "Who's to say Monokuma didn't kill him himself?"

And for some reason, that is the thing that jumpstarts my speech back to life. "No, that can't be. Monokuma told me himself that since he is the headmaster and not a participant, he won't hurt anyone who hasn't broken a rule."

"Yup, yup! And since match fixer here played by the rules, I'm not allowed to punish him. Thus, that means one of you has decided to play the game!"

"One of us…killed him?" Ekorin's horror perfectly matches that of the rest of us.

Isamu takes a deep breath and steps forward. "If the killer has played by the rules, then that must mean they are allowed to escape this facility, right?"

Monokuma starts chuckling. Then his chuckles turn into laughter. His laugh stuns, confuses and terrifies us all at the same time. This is no laughter of someone who thinks this is funny. This is the laugh of a predator, knowing its prey cannot escape.

"If it were this easy, this courtyard would be filled with bodies! I didn't mention that the murder must be carried out in secret for nothing. Of course, to find out whether this crime was pulled off perfectly, we need to do a bit of testing…" He chuckles.

"Testing?" Rea asks with obvious interest.

The bear is almost shaking with excitement. "Aah, this is my favorite part! Back on topic, to test the skills of both the blackened and the innocent, I've have created the Class Trials!"

"Class…Trials?" Noriko shakily asks.

"Yes, allow me to explain the rules of the Class Trial!"

He pulls out an E-Book out of seemingly nowhere and presents a simple animation of three figures finding a body.

"When three or more innocent people find a body, the Body Discovery Announcement will play to alert everyone in the facility. After the Announcement has played, you will be given a certain amount of time to investigate the body, the crime scene and everything else that may or may not look suspicious."

The picture switches to what looks like a trial room, with figures facing each other. "Once time's up, the living students all round up in the Class Trial and debate on who became the blackened. And the decision is made with a majority vote."

"S-so, like some sort of Ace Attorney game?" Shinri manages to get out from behind the corner.

"Hey, hey! Don't compare that loony law game to this!"

Mizuki cuts him off before he can rant further. "I can assume the 'blackened' means the murderer, correct?"

"Murderer, killer, blackened, it's all the same thing." Monokuma waves it off. "You better make triple sure you vote for the right guy though. If you are correct, the blackened will be punished and the rest of you get to continue living life peacefully in the facility."

One of the figures on the screen has devil horns, while the others have halos.

"However, if you happened to make the wrong choice…that means the blackened successfully pulled off their crime! The rest will be punished for their failure while the blackened gains the right to graduate and as a reward, be granted free access to the outside world!"

 _Punishment…there must be more than that._

My voice is still a little shaky, but my stance is firm, to my own surprise. "And what kind of punishment will we get?"

His grin is too wide for my liking. "Well, the most fitting punishment for a murder would be…execution."

The words drop like a bombshell. Most of the girls and even some guys let out a yell or scream of horror. I can't bring out a single word anymore. The despair is clawing through my insides, leaving nothing more but fear and terror.

"You don't mean…this can't be!" Yoru cries out. "We'll get killed if we don't catch…?"

"Upupu, as you can see, the stakes are high. Catch the killer or get killed! Pull off the perfect crime or perish! Aah, the tension, the despair…such bliss…"

My head is swarming with thoughts, overflowing until I can't even process what everyone is saying anymore. Their shouts, their cries, they all mesh together in one huge pile of white noise. I don't even know I'm still standing up or not.

 _If we don't find out who killed Ainosuke, we'll all die._

And honestly, that's the part that scares me the most. Even more than the fact Ainosuke is murdered. Even more than the fact one of us did it. Our lives are hanging on a small tread and if we want to survive, we've got to fight for it.

Strangely enough, Kumachrome's sudden appearance is what startles me out of my trance. He doesn't say a word but instead walks over to his brother.

"File's ready."

"What file?" Isamu asks. Monokuma nods to his brother before answering him.

"To make things a little fairer for you junior detectives, I've created a file to help you start on your investigation. I call it: The Monokuma File!"

"So." Rea says, and it's the most serious I've heard her. "We really have to solve this case ourselves, with minimal help. And if we happen to get it wrong, we die."

"Correct! Aren't you a smart cookie?" Monokuma coos at her. And right then, her frown warps into a wicked, yet terrifying smile.

"I love it. When can I start?"

"Rea!" Noriko calls out weakly.

"Actually, you can start right away! Find as much evidence as possible until I get bored and end the time limit. So, go, go! See you all soon!" Monokuma disappears after those words and Kumachrome doesn't stick around either.

It quiet for a moment, until Rea casually strolls to the body. "Hm, now where should I start? There is so much to do, so little time…"

"How…how can you be so casual about this?" Kikoi asks, tears dripping from her face.

Rea merely looks over her shoulder. "I don't really care about life and death and all of that. And it's the most fun I've had for a while. Grab the opportunity when it presents itself, you know?"

Hanako grits her teeth. "Is this little more than a game to you?"

The strategist only places a mocking finger to her chin. "Why yes, I guess you can call it that. A fun, fun game."

One moment, Hanako is by my side, glaring at her with the most hate she can produce. The next, she has her by the throat, growling out words I can't understand. I can't see Rea's face, but judging by the fact her body isn't wrestling against it, I somehow can't help but think that even now, she is calm.

"You. Fucking. Bitch!" Hanako screams as she draws her fist back to punch her.

She never gets that far. Tomoe is holding onto her wrist. If it weren't for the fact he is just as pale as any of us, I'd have thought of him as being too calm as well.

"Hurting her isn't going to do jack shit. Everyone fucking hates her guts, I know. But this isn't going to work."

She shoots a glare at him. "Funny how that's coming from the guy who almost got himself killed attacking Monokuma."

He doesn't falter under her glare. "At least I try to fucking learn from my goddamn mistakes."

Noriko quickly snaps out of her daze and walks up to her. "I know you're upset. We all are. Everyone is disturbed, scared, sad…but right now, we have a job to do. We need to make sure we survive. And to do that, we need to focus…and do what Monokuma says."

Even though Hanako still has tears of anger in her eyes, she lowers her head and releases her grip on Rea, who wisely steps back.

"Hmm, I get the feeling you guys don't like me that much. Eh, I guess I'll just investigate elsewhere. See you all at the trial!"

She skips away, and I have to restrain myself from running up to her and making the same mistake as Hanako. I take a deep breath to clear my head and speak.

"Alright. Our lives are on the line, so we should start investigating. The sooner we do this, the sooner we get out of this mess."

Noriko gives me a quick nod. "Well spoken."

Isamu crosses his arms as he steps forward. "Before we do that, two or three people should stay on watch, to make sure our killer doesn't tamper with the crime scene. I say Tomoe and Hanako do it. You two are among the most athletic, so you should be able to catch anyone who comes too close."

Tomoe nods, but Hanako starts pouting. "What? No way! I want to investigate too! I'm smart enough to do that!"

He returns her glare with an even icier one. "Somehow, I highly doubt that."

"Want to run that by me again!?"

Yuyami laughs and quickly comes between the two of them. "Yo, I don't think fighting's a good idea now. Let me watch over him instead, kay?"

At least Isamu seems to be willing to allow that. He gives a quick nod and then walks off.

"Hey." Masato draws our attention. "What do with do with Toshiya? I don't think he's going to wake up like this."

Suddenly, I remember something crucial. _Wait, didn't Toshiya say he had a phobia of blood?_

"Get him away from the body. I bet he'll wake up eventually." I tell him. He looks somewhat uncertain, but then he starts dragging him away.

The group, or, what's left of it, starts to leave one by one, eventually leaving me alone with the body and it's two guards.

 _I don't want to do this. But…I don't want to bet my life on the skills of others. And if that's the case, I have no choice by to take matters into my own hands._

INVESTIGATION START

The first thing to do is to probably check the file Monokuma send us. I boot up my E-Book and almost immediately see a brief examination of the body.

" _The victim is Ainosuke Nakamura: The Ultimate Matchmaker.  
The body was found behind the main building.  
Time of death is estimated to be around 0:15.  
Cause of death is a wound to the victim back, penetrating the lung. The victim died almost instantly.  
Additionally, the body has other wounds: a second wound to the back, multiple signs of fractions of the spine, neck and back of the skull and severe bruising on the right arm."_

 _At least this is a good start. I wonder what could have caused all these injuries…_

New bullet: Monokuma File #1

Next up is—and I shudder by the sheer thought—investigating the body. I take a few deep, slow, steady breaths to calm myself and approach him. Tomoe leans towards me to make sure I don't take anything away from the crime scene.

He feels cold to the touch.

I draw back my head. This feels wrong. This is wrong. But…I must do it.

Then, I notice something is in his pocket. Careful not to tip him over, I gently reach for it. My fingers close around something long and thin. When I take it out, I see it's a…sparkly pink glitter pen.

 _Wha- what the fuck was he doing with something like that?_

I almost want to pocket it for later investigation, but Tomoe makes a huffing, alarming sound and I remember that he is here to make sure we don't take anything away from the crime scene.

 _If I don't take it though, I'll probably forget about it…wait, the camera function!_

Placing the pen on his pants, I take out my E-Book and snap a picture of it. _That's better. But what could he have been doing with something like this?_

New bullet: Glitter pen

 _The File says he was stabbed through the lung. Yikes. I wonder what could have caused that?_

Taking a deep breath, I lean over Ainosuke and carefully take a look at his back. The sight that greets me is gruesome enough to make me recoil. Not one, but two wooden stakes are lodged in his back.

 _Ew, ew, ew! Gross! Ugh…at least I have a good idea of what the murder weapon is…_

New bullet: Wooden stakes

…I decide it's better to leave the body alone now. It's better for my stomach.

As I carefully place the body back in its original position, my eyes catch something shiny in the grass next to him. I bent over and pick up a few tiny glass shards. I can't help but wonder what it could have come from, but I know for sure they're here for a reason.

New bullet: Glass shards

Careful not to get caught, I take one of the shards with me, just in case they can't be seen on camera. I want to get up and search somewhere else, but then I spot a small piece of black plastic on the ground. I carefully pick it up. _Looks sturdy. Could it be related to the glass?_

New bullet: Piece of black plastic

My joints crack as I stand up and stretch. I'm about to look somewhere else when I notice something strange. Ainosuke isn't leaning against the wall. There is a window sandwiched between him and the wall.

 _Wait, is that the broken window from the classroom? Looks like I'll need to investigate that place._

New bullet: Classroom window

It appears that I'm done here. Satisfied with what I found, I wave to the two guards and make my way to the main building. On my way, I see Shinri standing near the door.

"Hey."

The response is immediate. He jumps a meter into the air and nearly trips over his own feet until he sees it's just me.

"Jeez, what is it with you and scaring me?" He snarls, and I can't help but roll my eyes.

"Yes, because I'm totally at fault for you being jumpy."

"In case you didn't know, there is a murderer on the loose. I have reason enough to be on guard."

"…Do you really think the killer would strike again?" I ask, sincerer. He stays silent for a while, but then sighs loudly.

"I don't know. Honestly, all of this…it's a mess. Before, I could rely on knowledge from years of research. But I'm drawing a blank here. There is no doubt someone here killed him, but we don't have enough info yet to pinpoint them. I don't know what to do in this situation. It's like…walking without glasses to me. Everything is blurry, it's hard to focus and it's making me dizzy. It's…insane."

I awkwardly rub my arm. "Yeah…everything…it's so wrong."

He rubs his neck. "Sorry, didn't mean to bring you down so much. I mean, despite everything, we still got to do everything we can do to stay alive. We couldn't save him, and we can't save his killer…but we can still save ourselves."

His words somehow manage to hit a string and I smile at him. "Nicely said. You could become a poet."

He grins weakly. "Years of practice with scriptwriting gives you a way with words."

"Then, I guess I'm off to find evidence. See you at this 'trial' I guess."

He waves me off and I walk into the building. I immediately head for the classroom window. I'm not alone there though. Homura and Isamu are standing next by the broken window. Guess they had the same idea as me.

"Hey guys. Noticed the window too?" I ask.

Homura turns and nods at me. "Yup. It's really weird. Come take a look."

She steps aside, and I go to stand in her spot. As I look outside, I notice something I should have noticed before.

"How come the ropes of the window are so long?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. Homura laughs nervously. "I was kinda hoping you could tell me. The ropes are far too long. Bet they could reach the roof. But why?"

Isamu snorts. "Obviously, someone replaced them. And probably for a good reason."

New bullet: Ropes

Before I can avert my eyes, they already find the wounds I was looking at earlier and I cringe. However, now that I have a different view of it, I realize there seems to be some sort of white substance on the end of the stakes. And as I look further, the same substance seems to be on the window too.

 _Strange. What could it be?_

Bullet updated: Wooden stakes

Isamu leans back and looks at Homura. "Tell us about the glass."

She rolls her eyes but complies. "Sure. From what I can see, the glass of the window is cracked. Normally, that would be normal, since it fell down and hit the wall, except this glass is a special kind. One that doesn't break easily. Whatever happened to it, it must have been rough. Happy?"

New bullet: Homura's account

"Got a good view from here?" Yuyami teases. Tomoe leans in and dope slaps him. "Don't joke about this. And don't get distracted."

…I've seen enough. I walk out of the classroom. As I pass the cafeteria, I see Noriko sitting on a table in a yoga-pose, taking deep breaths. When I walk up to her, she snaps out of it and quickly slides off the table in a smooth move.

"Hey Yurika! What can I do for you?"

 _Might as well ask her a few questions._

"Did anything weird happen last night?" I ask her. She looks away. "Oh, so you are deeply investigating too…"

 _I'm probably far from the first person to ask her that question._

Before I can do or say anything though, she starts talking.

"Not really. I was really tired when the night finally ended, and so was everyone else. I don't think I've noticed a lot of weird things and I haven't got any strange rapports from the others, save for Masato catching Yuyami trying to sneak in. According to him, the guy just wanted a snack."

"I thought the cafeteria is closed at night-time."

"It is, but Yuyami says he wasn't paying attention to that in the first place. He went back to his room after that though, Masato said he made sure of it. We had a briefing around 11.00 pm and 2.00 am. Everyone showed up around 11.00, but half the group was missing around 2.00. There was some time during the night, around midnight or so, when we heard a loud noise near the school building, but Masato said he just happened to knock over something. Aside from that, the only other weird thing is that I never got a 2.00 am rapport from Ainosuke, but we all know why…"

She looks downtrodden and I can't help but feel for her. She tried so hard to protect everyone, only for a member of her patrol to die. I also notice how tired she looks, and her red cheeks aren't helping either.

"I see…anything that happened this morning then?"

She shakes her head. "I don't know. Because I wanted to fresh up before starting the day, I came in later than normal. However, I did put Hanako on guarding duty this morning, so you should probably ask her for more details."

I nod firmly. "I will. And we will catch the culprit, don't worry."

New bullet: Noriko's account

She smiles ruefully at me. "I know. I just wished we were not exposed to the threat of death."

There is nothing I can say to that though. I wish her goodbye and leave the cafeteria. _Alright, where next? Maybe they got something from the storage room. It's pretty full of stuff."_

When I walk inside, I see Mizuki and Ekorin looking through the items. When the green haired girl notices me, she smiles and waves. Mizuki on the other hand promptly ignores me.

 _Nothing strange about that._

Though, I do notice something else that is strange. There is a pair of brooms lying against the wall, but there are far too short. When I examine them more closely, I see the tops have been sawed off.

 _If that isn't suspicious, I don't know what is._

New bullet: Sawed off brooms

"Looking at the brooms?" Ekorin asks me. I nod. "There is no way they aren't involved in this."

Mizuki rolls her eyes at me. "Obviously. I don't even know why you're wasting time with it."

Annoyed, I cross my arms. "Then what did you find, oh wise smart chemist?"

"That there is a serious amount of rope missing, along with a pole. Aside from that, this closet wasn't used much. Though, I'm more willing to bet the culprit used this room to prepare their murder, considering how the brooms seemed sawed off here."

Ekorin puts a finger to her chin. "I wonder where the culprit got something sharp to saw it off with. Perhaps the kitchen?"

Mizuki clicks with her tongue in annoyance. "Haven't you payed attention to Monokuma's announcement a few days ago? He clearly said the kitchen is off-limits during the night. Not to mention, you can't saw through wood with a kitchen knife. They must have used something else."

 _I think I have enough information here._ I leave the place without a word.

The laundry room doesn't seem to have anything interesting, so I abandon it to search the rooftop. Every step feels like fire, but my life is depending on this. Finally, after a hefty climb, I reach the top and open the door.

Yoru turns around and nervously smiles at me. "H-hey Yurika!"

"Hey! Yurika! So good to see you!"

 _Dammit._ Rea is sitting on the railing, swinging her legs back and forth. She waves at me cheerfully, as if there is nothing bad going on.

"Already done with your investigation?" I grumble at her.

"Pretty much. Now then, let's see. Shall I or shall I not?" She asks herself, dramatically putting a finger to her lips.

 _What the hell is she…_

Before I can finish my thought, she nods and jumps off the railing. "I have decided! Since you are a poor computer nerd, I feel like I should give you a little push in the right direction. I mean, it would be terribly boring if I were the only one doing everything."

She motions me to come closer and despite every part of my body and brain saying no, I walk up to her. When I'm close enough, she points at the railing she had been sitting on.

"It's the railing. I don't see…hey, what are these marks?"

There are white, thin lines around the metal, as if it's been scratched.

New bullet: Scratched railing

"And that's not the only thing. Look down." Rea grins innocently and I find myself looking down. I see Ainosuke's body down there, with Tomoe and Yuyami standing guard.

"I don't get it…" I mumble.

Annoyed sounds come from behind me. "My, my, what a shame. I seriously hoped your brain wasn't so underdeveloped. And I even gave you the privilege of sharing a bit of my knowledge."

I roll my eyes and make sure to drip as much sarcasm in my voice as humanly possible. "I'm so terribly sorry for not meeting your- AAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

My body slams against the railing from her push and the air is sucked from my lungs. Yoru yells and runs over to me to see if I'm okay. I spin around and almost slap her.

"What in the actual fuck! I could have fallen down if it weren't for the railing!"

She merely chuckles. "Heh, you would have. That's why there are safety railings. But, you know, even the most noble of efforts can be misused."

I can't help but frown as I take in her words. Before she can explain herself though, she turns around and walks away.

"Hey, are you alright?"

I realize Yoru is still next to me, looking worried. I shake my head. "I'm fine. Just…didn't expect that. Rea's just mean again. Just ignore her, she'll lose interest eventually."

It doesn't seem to cheer him up. He just looks down. I decide to give him a bit of space.

Something grey catches my eye and I walk up to it. When I get close enough, I see it's a pair of metal hooks. Since they are hanging rather out of view, I can't help but assume I wasn't supposed to be seeing them.

 _Perhaps the culprit wanted to hide them but couldn't. What would they do with a pair of hooks though?_

New bullet: Hooks

I don't see anything else out of the ordinary, so there is no reason for me to be staying there any longer. However, just as I'm about to open the door, Yoru runs by and forcefully shoves something in my hand before running off. I know I'm not going to catch up to him, so I look at the note instead.

It's written in pink ink and very curly, but I can still make out the words.

' _I saw how disappointed you were when you were denied joining the patrol. So, why don't we go together? Two pair of eyes can see better than one. Just meet me on the_ _ROOFTOP_ _at_ _MIDNIGHT_ _and we can show them you're a great patroller.'_

… _Yeah, that's definitely suspicious._

New bullet: Yoru's note

Armed with new info, I descent down. When I reach the door on the bottom floor, I notice a long pole standing against the wall.

 _What is that doing here? Could be have been used to block the door? There is no lock after all…_

New bullet: Pole

Keeping the pole in mind, I step out…and lean against the wall in a desperate attempt to sooth my hurting legs. The strain of everything that happened weights heavily on my shoulders and I can't help but slide down and take a break. All at once, the reality of the situation sinks in.

 _I'm trying to find clues to figure out who killed a friend. This is the work of a detective. I'm just a high school student who can't even remember why she is in prison. Fucking hell, what have I gotten myself into…?_

"Are you alright?"

The kindness in that voice can only be from one person. I don't even look up as I try to give Toshiya a satisfying answer.

"Yeah, just…this is so fucked up."

He nervously laughs. "I wouldn't put it that way, but yeah, you're right. This is messed up. Do you…want to talk about it? Want me to get you something to eat?"

This time, I do look up and I realize he looks bad. His usually straightened out and nicely done hair looks more like a haystack painted red. His clothes aren't so neat anymore, dirtied by mud. He is pale and standing a bit shakily on his feet.

"Dude, you look like a truck ran over you. I should be the one asking if you're okay."

He waves my worried aside. "I'm fine. I…just passed out pretty badly. If I had the time, I would be taking a shower and a change of clothes, but alas…"

I can't help but give him a weak smile. "Then let's make sure you live to take a shower after the trial."

His chuckles give me enough strength to haul myself from the ground. He immediately shoots to help, but I calmly tell him I'll be fine. "If I can't lift myself from the floor, I have a problem. Speaking of problems, being unable to investigate around the body must suck."

"It's indeed a hassle. I've discovered the file on my E-Book and it gives me some information, but not enough to solve this case. So, I've been looking around to find evidence of preparations. Perhaps they can point to our culprit."

"Haven't you been talking to others? Some of them seem willing to help."

His smile is wry. "Unfortunately, cooperation has proven to be difficult for me, as people don't seem to believe my claim of hemophobia."

 _But why would they…oh._

"…You haven't told anyone but me about your blood phobia, have you?"

He coughs embarrassed into his fist. "The topic is somewhat sensitive. Specially to mention in a big group. When you arrived, our conversation was mostly between us, whereas most introduction were done in a group. I figured it would be best to avoid mentioning it in the presence of Rea…"

 _Great. Fantastic. So not only do I have to investigate this shit, but one of the most competent people, not to mention someone I trust, is the main suspect. Which means everyone is wary of him. Meaning I'm not going to get too much help from him._

"Have you tried the roof yet?" I ask him, trying to steer the conversation a bit away. He shakes his head. "No, to be honest, I've only just woken up. Hanako told me what happened."

"Hold up, do you know where Hanako went? I still need to ask her a few things."

He looks thoughtful for a moment. "I'm fairly sure she went to the Kumachrome shop. I suggest you try there. I would accompany you, but it'll only shine a negative light on you…"

 _Yeah, if the others see me helping him, they may think I'm an accomplish._

"Then, I hope you can find enough clues." I awkwardly mumble. He appreciates it nonetheless. "I will. Good luck to you as well."

I nod and walk past him. Filled once against with energy and some strange sort of determination, I head outside for the shop.

The moment I touch the doorknob, the door suddenly opens, and something slams into me. I can barely keep my balance as someone hurries to grab my wrist to stabilize me. When I look up, I see none other than Hanako herself.

"This is the second time you've run into me." I deadpan. She sheepishly grins. "I guess it was my fault this time. But I am in a hurry! I need to do more investigating!"

 _She is really determined to contribute to the investigations, huh?_

"Wait, before you go, there is something I need to ask you."

She blinks in confusion before breaking into a smile. "Sure, ask away."

"Noriko told me you were standing guard this morning. Did anything particular happen?"

Pouting her lips, she appears to think back to this morning. "Well, I don't think so. But I was pretty hammered after staying up all night. What I do know is that I stood guard until the morning announcement. Masato visited me before the announcement sounded though. After which, he and I chatted for a while until the announcement sounded and Homura and Toshiya came down. I was really hungry by then and I had to pee, and I thought 'no one's going to murder anyone anyways, might as well grab a bite' so I went with them. When we reached the cafeteria, Masato and I went out to pee. When I came back, Toshiya was looking around saying something like 'did you guys hear that?' and then he ran off. So, yeah, I helped out Homura with breakfast until everyone else came in. I'm pretty sure that's it."

…I resist the urge to facepalm. _You had one job._

New bullet: Hanako's account

Letting the issue slide, I notice the folded paper she has in her hand.

"What's that?"

Her enthusiasm goes from 0 to 100 faster than the eye as she clutches it with both hands. "This? This is a complete list of everything that has been bought at the Kumachrome shop these past few days. I figured the killer might have bought something from here. It includes the name, date, item and price. Pretty smart, huh?"

 _Huh, what do you know. That may actually be helpful._

New bullet: List of bought items

"Can I see?"

She hesitates for a moment, but then firmly nods. As she reaches out to give it to me though, the monitor in the shop goes on.

BING BANG BING BONG

"Ahem, this is an official announcement. I'm too bored to last much longer, wrap up your investigation and head to the fountain in the courtyard immediately. Bye-bye!"

The monitor shuts off and Hanako frowns. "Fountain? What fountain? We don't even have a-"

A rumbling noise cuts her off seconds before the ground begins to violently shake. Not even grabbing onto each other is good enough to keep us standing. I would be terrified over an earthquake if it weren't so well timed. When it's over, Hanako gapes and points to something over my shoulder. I turn my head and look.

There is a huge fountain in the yard now. Baring a Monokuma statue. And with a burst of water, it's also completely functional.

The absurdity of the situation is so high, I almost miss Kumachrome's snarking.

"Well? Go there before Monokuma throws a temper tantrum."

I look back at Hanako, who just shakes her head. It appears she has just accepted all the weird shit happening around us. She gives me a goofy grin, shoves the list into her sports bra and nudges towards the fountain.

"Better go before the birds catch us."

At this point, I have completely given up on any kind of logic. Just go along with the flow.

Hanako and I arrive a bit earlier than the rest, so we awkwardly wait until they show up. Hanako looks even more nervous than before, absentmindedly scratching her arm. One by one, the rest shows up.

Yuyami is trying to smile through it all, but all it does is lousily conceal his fear. Yoru is practically clinging to Mizuki at this point, who barely even looks at me. Noriko can't even muster up any kind of speech while Homura seems ready to punch someone, preferably Rea, who just impatiently hops onto the fountain's concrete. Both Ekorin and Kikoi are quiet, the former having red cheeks from crying. The latter is luckier with her dark skin making it harder to notice. Isamu's glare is cold but determined as well. Shinri is looking better, taking deep breaths as he appears to steady himself. Masato trails behind him, before running up to stand next to Kikoi.

Tomoe and Toshiya are the last to arrive, with Tomoe looking ready to lash out the moment the poor puzzler tries something. Everyone consciously or subconsciously makes way for him. My chest feels clamped. In one way or another, they've all already marked him as the 'blackened', as Monokuma puts it.

"Well, we are all here. How long does Monokuma plan on making us wait?" Mizuki says, not even bothering to address the elephant in the room. "I want to get this over with."

Speak, and the devil shall appear. "Settle down people! Do we have everyone? Do I need to do a quick headcount?" Monokuma speaks as if he is talking to a group of middle schoolers, waiting to go on a school trip.

"We are all here." Isamu says coolly. Monokuma counts anyways and nods when he is done.

"Yup, yup! We're all here! Now then, everyone, please enter the elevator so we can head straight for the trial grounds!"

He disappears. I see Hanako open her mouth, probably to point out there is no elevator when the water flow suddenly stops. Rea jumps off, which is a wise idea as the fountain splits in the middle. It opens dramatically and shows a pair of red, metal doors. The doors slide open to reveal a rather large elevator.

After the initial shock has disappeared, we all move into the elevator. As everyone seems to distance themselves from Toshiya, I end up standing in the middle with him. He gives me a smile that's probably meant as reassurance, but I have the feeling he needs it more than I do.

The ride is long and silent. I mentally go over the information I've collected. I almost end up coming up with a few theories, but instantly throw them in the bin.

 _There is no point to getting ahead when it's supposed to be a discussion._

Eventually, there is a ding, and the doors open. Bracing myself, I step into the trial room.

It's a bit bigger than I expected. Sixteen witness stances are linked together in one big circle. Behind that, there is a huge throne, with Monokuma sitting there. His brother is seated on a simple bar chair with a plush cushion.

"Alright people, take the seat with your name. And hurry the fuck up." Kumachrome grumbles.

We do just that and lo and behold, not only am I facing Monokuma's throne directly, but Rea as well. _Jeez, almost like it was planned out._

The first few uncomfortable minutes are quiet, so I have time to mentally go over every piece of info I've found. Every testimony, every scrap of evidence. I take a deep breath to ready my nerves.

I was dragged into a place I wasn't supposed to be. I am playing a game I was never supposed to play. And now I am standing in this insane trial, where anyone can be my enemy. But, despite the paranoia, despite the unfairness, despite the fear…I refuse to die in a place like this!

* * *

 **Bullets:**

 **Monokuma file 1#:** " _The victim is Ainosuke Nakamura: The Ultimate Matchmaker.  
The body was found behind the main building.  
Time of death is estimated to be around 0:15.  
Cause of death is a wound to the victim back, penetrating the lung. The victim died almost instantly.  
Additionally, the body has other wounds: a second wound to the back, multiple signs of fractions of the spine, neck and back of the skull and severe bruising on the right arm."_

 **Glitter pen:** A pen with pink, sparkly ink found in Ainosuke's pocket. It's unclear why he has it.

 **Wooden stakes:** A pair of wooden stakes in lodged into Ainosuke's back. There is a white substance on both the stakes and the window

 **Glass shards:** Tiny pieces of glass shards are found in the grass next to the body. It's unknown where they are from.

 **Piece of black plastic:** Among the glass, a small piece of black plastic is found. It's presumed it belongs to the glass shards.

 **Classroom window:** A window is lodged between the body and the wall. The window belongs to the classroom.

 **Ropes:** The ropes that hold up the broken classroom window are far too long. It appears they're long enough to reach the rooftop.

 **Homura's account:** According to Homura, the glass has been cracked, but strangely, the glass itself is supposed not break easily. Whatever hit it, must have been rough.

 **Noriko's account:** According to Noriko, there were no strange reports during the night, save for Masato catching Yuyami and escorting him back to his dorm. There was a briefing around 11 pm and 2 am, but only half the group attended the second briefing. Aside from that, there was a loud sound during the night, but Masato mentioned he knocked something over.

 **Sawed off brooms:** Two brooms in the storage closet have had their tops sawed off.

 **Scratched railing:** The railing on the rooftop seems to have scratches on them. I doubt a human could have made them...

 **Hooks:** A pair of hooks are hanging on the railing on the rooftop. It appears they were meant to stay out of sight.

 **Yoru's note:** Yoru slipped me a suspicious note written in pink ink. It says: ' _I saw how disappointed you were when you were denied joining the patrol. So, why don't we go together? Two pair of eyes can see better than one. Just meet me on the_ _ROOFTOP_ _at_ _MIDNIGHT_ _and we can show them you're a great patroller.'_

 **Pole:** There is a pole standing next to the door to the rooftop. It may have been used to block the door.

 **Hanako's account:** Hanako, who was standing guard this morning, told me that Masato came to her before the morning announcement. They chatted until the morning announcement sounded and were then joined by Homura and Toshiya. Together they went to the cafeteria, where Masato and her went out to pee. When she came back, Toshiya mentioned hearing a noise before running outside.

 **List of bought items:** A list of the items bought in the Kumachrome shop, made by Hanako. Unfortunately, I was unable to take a look.

* * *

 **Uhhhh...oh god, this took so long. My excuses for it, but I had decided that instead of making the investigation on a whim and having to constantly edit it with new information that readers might end up missing, I wrote both the investigation and trial before posting anything. And honestly, despite all the month of not being able to upload anything, I'm still happy I did it this way, because now I didn't have to worry about readers missing out on clues. The trial is over, but I may decide to write the rest of the chapter before uploading the trial, but I'll see. For now, I hope you enjoyed!**


	10. Chapter 1 Trial I

**CLASS TRIAL START**

"Let's begin with a basic summary of the class trial. During this trial, the innocent and the blackened will face off together in an epic battle of debate! Should the innocent win, the blackened will be executed and the rest will continue to live their life in this killing game. In the case that the blackened wins, everyone besides the blackened will be executed and the blackened will be granted freedom to the outside world."

Isamu interrupts Monokuma's speech. "Just to be clear, the blackened can only be the person who actually killed the victim, am I correct?"

Monokuma nods. "Yup! Accomplishes won't be counted as the blackened, so they will be punished with the innocent in that case."

Yuyami laughs nervously. "Hey, what if this was just some crazy mistake or something? Like an accident?"

"Then whoever caused the accident will be painted as the blackened." He chuckles darkly.

Masato grows a little pale. "So, you're saying you don't even need to kill someone on purpose to become the blackened? Even in self-defence?"

He grows irritated at this point. "Like I said! Intentions don't matter! If you kill someone, you've killed someone! No pardon!"

Like usual, Rea sounds more than casual. "What happens if there are two murderers? Do we vote for both or does one just get a free pass?"

"Hmm, it kind of depends on the situation, but if two blackens were to face off with each other, only the one with the most votes will be executed. Any more questions?"

To my surprise, Noriko is the one who answers. "Yes." She points with disgust towards one of the stands. "What is _that_?"

My heart stops for a moment when I see what she means. In Ainosuke's place, there is a stand with a photo of Ainosuke. He is cruelly crossed off with what looks like blood, the tops of the cross bending to form a heart. Seeing him smiling feels like a punch in my stomach.

"Oh, that? Well, you see, in theory, everyone is supposed to attend the class trial. Ainosuke just happens to be dead. Since I can't drag a whole body here, this is the next best thing! Now it'll be like he is still with you!"

His words are so awful, even Rea's smile seems to falter. Not that I can blame her. It's so incredibly hurtful, disgusting and unnecessary that it's ridiculous.

"Okay. Where do we start?" Toshiya awkwardly begins, but the amount of death glares he gets in return is painful.

"I'd say, with the obvious." Isamu's cold voice. Shinri, who is standing next to me, crosses his arms.

"Eh, no. The first suspect is never the culprit. It's too obvious."

Isamu redirects his glare. "This isn't a work of fiction. This is a real murder case. You can't rely on foolish tropes."

The boy almost seems to explode. "Excuse me! I know fully well what is and isn't fiction! I'm just saying we shouldn't just put all of our focus on him and ignore other options!"

Hanako nervously laughs. "Maybe we should start with something small. Oh! What about the murder weapon? In cop shows, that's always the first thing that's discussed!"

Mizuki narrows her eyes at her. "No, we should start with alibis, as it should be obvious to everyone what the murder weapon is."

Gritting her teeth, Hanako balls her fists. "Are you calling me dumb?"

"No, but you might as well be."

Toshiya looks down and starts muttering. "Can we actually start discussing instead of fighting?"

Rea giggles. "That's funny, considering that you're the prime suspect around here. It's not like anyone will believe what you say, so why don't you just shut up and let the others ruin it for you?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the entire courtroom blows up. It's one big chaos. People are shouting at each other, making accusations. And it is getting worse by the minute. Monokuma seems to be enjoying himself, but if this continues, we're most likely all going to die.

 _Ugh, fantastic. Isamu is too biased to pay attention to everything else, Shinri is too emotional to think rationally, Mizuki only wants to be right, Rea is too much of a bitch to take this seriously and Toshiya is too suspicious to everyone to have his voice be heard. And everyone else is too moronic to get anywhere._

As the discussions slowly starts to merge into one big argument, I take a deep breath and clear my mind.

 _Looks like if I want to survive, I have to do this myself. Alright: break through a weak point, make a good argument and be loud enough to be heard. I will not die at their hands!_

 **NON-STOP DEBATE!**

-  
Bullet: Monokuma file  
-

 **Noriko:** Everyone, calm down! We're not going to solve anything like this!

 **Mizuki:** Yes, we will.

 **Mizuki:** If everyone would just agree on discussing alibis…

 **Mizuki:** …we can move the discussion forward.

 **Hanako:** No way, we should start with the murder weapon!

 **Ekorin:** I have to agree with Hanako.

 **Ekorin:** If we can put the obvious away, we can move onto other things!

 **Tomoe:** You want obvious?

 **Tomoe:** There is a pair of stakes in his back and there are _**no other injuries**_.

 **Tomoe:** Done. Can we move on?

" **NO, THAT'S WRONG!"**

Everyone is surprised by my sudden shout and it is enough to make them temporarily shut up. _Alright, got their attention. Take this chance!_

"Tomoe, I agree with you that one of the stakes ended up killing him. However, saying he has no other injuries is…terribly wrong. In the Monokuma file, it states that he has multiple fractions on his spine, neck and back of the head. And he has severe bruising on his right arm."

"I'm honestly disappointed that you needed that to be spelled out. You were guarding him. You had plenty of time to look at him." Isamu snarls at him.

Tomoe crosses his arms with a huff. "You make it sound like I enjoyed looking at him. I was paying too much attention to my surroundings to look at him."

Yoru scratches his head. "Okay, so, he got a lot of injuries, but does it really matter that much?"

Mizuki nods at him. "It could be a sign of a struggle."

Crossing his arms in uncertainty, Shinri shakes his head. "A struggle that bad? I don't even think that's possible."

"Maybe they used a crowbar or something." Homura offers lamely. Ekorin shakes her head, almost whipping me in the face with her long hair.

"There are no crowbars in the facility. Mizuki and I checked." Ekorin says. "Although, I'm fairly sure there was a pole at one point, but I don't know where it has gone to…"

Tomoe rolls his eyes. "Then it was obviously used by the killer."

"But why?" Hanako asks. "Why beat him up so badly if you're not even using it as the murder weapon?"

 _I have the feeling we're getting into another discussion. She makes a good point though…_

 **NON-STOP DEBATE**

-  
Bullet: Classroom window  
-

 **Hanako:** Why would you use a weapon when you're not _killing someone_ with it?

 **Yuyami:** Maybe he knocked away the pole and the killer had to use something else?

 **Mizuki:** In that state? He wouldn't even be able to walk.

 **Shinri:** Perhaps there were _two culprits_.

 **Noriko:** Like, someone _beat him up_ , then fled and someone else put the nail in the coffin?

 **Rea:** Nice analogy you're using there.

 **Noriko:** Don't derail my point!

 **Masato:** Could it be that Ainosuke was wielding the pole?

 **Yoru:** Or maybe the _**window just fell on him**_!

 **Yoru:** You know, like an accident!

" **NO, THAT'S WRONG!"**

"Are you going to do that every time someone is being stupid?" Rea asks with mock-curiosity. I ignore her.

"The window can't have fallen onto him. It was sandwiched between the body and the wall. If the window had really fallen onto him, it would have been on top."

"Besides," Yuyami laughs, "a fallen window can't have made an injury like that."

Toshiya seems to want to speak up, but he falters. I'm not sure whether he is trying to make a point or object.

"Alright," Hanako says, "but I still don't have an answer to my question."

"What I want to know is: how in the hell did the killer manage to plant not just one, but two wooden stakes in his back? I mean, stabbing someone, especially in the back, is already pretty hard, but with a wooden stake? Defintely not my first choice for a murder weapon." Shinri looks around as he says that.

Rea chuckles. "You know a lot about stabbing…"

The guy in question huffs in annoyance. "I am a critic, I need to do research. How else do you think I get my information?"

"Calm the fuck down, it's just Rea. She always talks shit." Homura chuckles.

Masato frowns and crosses his arms. "Going off from the stakes, where exactly did they came from? It's not a weapon that's just lying around somewhere."

Tomoe snorts. "My bet is that someone made them. There is plenty of wood around the facility. If you have enough patience and something sharp, like a knife, it's not that hard to carve a wooden stake."

"The outside looks pretty smooth though, as if only the top and bottom were carved. How the hell do you accomplish that?" Hanako points out.

 _Yeah, where did the stakes come from? Hmm, I'm pretty sure its…_

 **Bullet: Sawed off brooms**

"It's carved from the brooms! If you cut off the tops and then sharpen them, I bet you can make a solid pair of stakes."

"So, the killer snuck out a knife from the kitchen and sharpened the brooms? Seems like a lot of effort when you can just stab someone with the knife." Homura asks.

Noriko shakes her head. "The kitchen is closed during night-time, and I personally made sure all the knives where there before I left. Kumachrome had to practically shove me out of the kitchen."

Rea chuckles. "Chrome? Confirmation? We don't want our dancer here to lie in this trial."

The girl in question sputters, but Chrome just nods. "Yup. Dance girl's right. And annoying if you ask me."

Shinri strokes his chin as it he has a beard. "Okay, so where did the knife come from? Did the killer improvise and use something in the storage closet?"

"No, there was nothing sharp enough to match a knife." Ekorin says. "Mizuki and I checked the closet together."

"Most likely, the facility wanted to keep our hands off anything that could hurt someone." The chemist adds.

"Then the only other option is that the killer bought something from the Kumachrome shop." Isamu concludes.

"Ugh, all these different topics are confusing me. Can we go back to the window?" Yuyami whines.

Toshiya mutters something quietly, but because of the fuzz, I can't hear what he is saying. The person next to him does and seems curious.

"Hm? The window? Is something wrong with the window?"

As soon as Yoru has spoken these words, people look at them. Noriko strokes her chin. "Well, if you think something is amiss with the window, it can't hurt to take look at that. We're not getting anywhere with the injuries or the stakes. Might as well switch to a new topic."

"That is, unless he is trying to set us up." Isamu snarls. I'm getting really annoyed at him.

"Why don't you shut up for once and let him talk." I snap at him.

He narrows his eyes at me and I feel like the temperature just dropped 10 degrees. I'm frozen in my spot as his icy glare seems to pierce through me. "Are you sympathising with our primary suspect?"

My legs. My body. My mouth. It's not working how I want it to work. It's as if he cast a spell on me. I want to protest. I want to talk back. But the words don't want to leave my mouth. I'm…helpless.

"You said suspect. As in, we're not sure if he really is our guy."

I tear away my sight from Isamu to look at Hanako, who is glaring back with fire in her eyes.

"The rules state that if we pick the wrong guy, we all die. We can't afford to have doubts. If you want to suspect him, go ahead. But until then, let's make sure we have no more doubts about this case."

Her words somehow, for some reason, strike a chord. _I can't afford to die here. That's why I need to solve this case. To survive._

Ekorin clasps her hands together. "Well said. Now, like Noriko said, let's switch topics. Yoru, you were talking about the window, correct?"

The short boy shakes his head. "Not me, Toshiya was. I just tried to ask him about it."

We all turn our attention to him. Shying away, he looks down, flustered. "Well, I was thinking about a few things concerning the window, but it only makes less and less sense the more I think about it."

Noriko edges him on. "Well, go on then."

After he few hesitations, he continues. "I doubt many will believe me, but the reason I was near the body was because I was in the cafeteria when I heard a noise coming from outside. It sounded like something being dropped. Looking back on it, the most logical conclusion is that the window fell down, but that doesn't make any sense."

"Why?" Kikoi's voice is barely hearable. He doesn't immediately answer.

 _Well, the answer to that question is easy._

 **-Time of death doesn't match up**

-The grass is bloody

-The cause of death doesn't match up

"Is it because the time of death doesn't match up?" I ask him. He nods. Yuyami scratches his head.

"Time of death? What's wrong with that?"

I want to tell him, but someone beats me to it. "According to the Monokuma file, Ainosuke was murdered somewhere around midnight. We have just established that the window fell down after Ainosuke was murdered. After all, there weren't any blood stains pointing to the body being dragged around. However, if the window wasn't what made that noise, then what was it?"

… _Goddamn it Mizuki, stop stealing my spotlight!_

Isamu doesn't look very convinced. "That's still assuming he isn't lying."

Luckily, before there can be any kind of uproar, Noriko hastily tries to calm him down. "Let's make sure we know how everything played out before we start pointing fingers."

His silence confirms that he isn't letting this go, but it's better than nothing. After all, the sound is far from the only suspicious thing…

"So, we have this mystery weird shit noise Toshiya's freaking out about. Now what?" Tomoe sounds annoyed.

Masato nervously laughs. "Guess it's up to us to find out what it was."

 **NON-STOP DEBATE**

-  
Bullet: Homura's account  
-

 **Ekorin:** This morning, Toshiya _heard a loud noise_ …

 **Ekorin:** …that should already have sounded.

 **Mizuki:** How can we be sure those things _are related_?

 **Mizuki:** For all we know, they might as be two different occurrences.

 **Masato:** Maybe you just heard _**a window break**_.

 **Toshiya:** No, it definitely came from behind the school.

 **Homura:** I dunno dude. I was _in the kitchen_ when that happened.

 **Isamu:** Can we even be sure that second noise was real?

 **Hanako:** Ugh, we're not getting _anything solved this way_!

" **NO, THAT'S WRONG!"**

Masato blinks owlishly at me. "Huh? How can you be so sure about that?"

"Well, honestly, I'm not the right one to explain that…"

Mizuki gives me a cold look that outdoes Isamu's. "Then stop wasting time."

 _Don't get fed up, don't get fed up, don't get fed up._ I tear my eyes away from her glare and make direct eye contact with the girl I'm looking for.

"Homura, can you repeat what you said to me when we were in the classroom?"

It takes her a visible moment to realize what I'm saying. She just blinks confused at me. I'm almost ready to remind her when she gives me a small 'oh, that'. She coughs somewhat awkwardly in her fist before puffing out her chest.

"Alright! Listen carefully everyone, 'cuz I'm 'bout to explain some shit."

Several eyes roll. I'm among them.

Undeterred, she pulls up a picture from her e-book. A flat screen tv is suddenly lowered from the roof. It throws her off for just a second, but then the tv springs to life and portrays a picture of the window. Despite the close angle, there is still some blood on it. I feel movement on my left side and I realize that Shinri is kneeling, looking once again green. Toshiya has averted his eyes, but has trouble standing straight. The others are either uncomfortable, disturbed or have too much of a calm posture for me to see what goes through their mind right now.

"…Okie dokie then. Thanks Chrome." Homura mutters. The teddy bear flashes a thump's up.

As if nothing just happened, she regains her posture and starts explaining. "You see that crack in the glass right now? I did some investigating and discovered that the crack is only on one side of the window. It's double glass, so it can do that."

 _Huh, she didn't tell me that…_

"Nothing wrong, right? Any window would have at the very least a crack if it fell down like that." Her eyes glitter in her way I haven't seen them do before. "But that's the thing. This glass isn't like any normal glass."

She lets the silence fall for what I guess is dramatic suspension, but it only irks me.

"Get to the point." Both Mizuki and Isamu repeat at the same time and she chuckles nervously. "Okay, okay…"

With a grin, she continues talking. "So, this glass. Looks normal right? But it's not. This type of glass is a special kind. One that's barely out of testing and not used for everyday purposes, so you can't find in the shop either. They call it Titanium Crystal, for the fact that is was specifically designed to withstand large amount of abuse. And this window? A double Titanium Crystal."

"In short, this glass was made to be unbreakable?" Yoru summarizes. Homura nods. Rea grins cheerfully. "Makes perfect sense. You wouldn't want these poor little delinquents to go around and break windows, now would you? Besides, that would make this game far more chaotic than needed."

"Uhh, what? The game? But wasn't the facility made-" Yuyami asks. She just shrugs as if it's not that big of a deal. "Just putting my two cents in."

"Ignoring that, yes, I can confirm myself that this glass is hard as fuck. I actually got a plate or two through some connections and let me tell you, it's pretty damn hard. Not perfect, it's far too stiff to be used for blowing, but it does its job well. Which is why I'm even surprised there is a crack at all." Homura explains.

"But there is a crack. Which means something, or someone must have been able to go over its limit." Noriko points out. "Any idea how that can happen?"

Homura herself casually shrugs. "I mean, if you were really dedicated to it, you could find a way. Like I said, it's not perfect. From what I've experimented with it, you either need something really, really heavy, like, seriously heavy, or get something slightly less heavy and drop it from a huge distance onto it. Like, I guess if you'd drop a bowling ball from the rooftop onto it, you could make a dent. Maybe get something heavier, but it would be a start."

 _From the rooftop…_

Bullet updated: Homura's account

Hanako places her fingers on her temples to calm herself. "Wait, ok, and you said it was only on one side of the glass, right?"

Homura frowns. "Yep. On the inside. Whoever the fuck thought it would be a great idea to smash the glass like they would smash a girl, it happened from the inside of the classroom."

Shinri pushes up his glasses. "Huh. That's interesting."

Rea breaks into a grin. "I guess you could say this was an… _inside job_."

Multiple people groan. My mind is too occupied with something she said during the investigation. Or, well, something she _did_ earlier…

 _Come to think of it, there are a few more clues that point to the rooftop. Hmm, what if I try putting them together…_

 **Connecting Clues!**

(What is strange here?) - Classroom window – (What proves something is wrong with the window?) - Homura's account (What is connected to that window?) – Ropes (What is tied to the ropes?) – Hooks – (What proves the hooks were there?) Scratched railing – (Why would anyone need to do this?) Yoru's account

Conclusion: Crime happened on rooftop

" **I'VE CONNECTED THE DOTS!"**

Silence falls, and I just realize I said that out loud.

"Well?" Rea edges me on. "What dots have you connected? The one on your panties?"

"This is no time for vulgarity." Isamu snarls at her.

Toshiya warmly smiles at me. "Since she has made some good points up until now, I'd say we hear her out."

… _Aw shit. I didn't think I'd have to put my theory up front now. I have to approach this from a different angle, otherwise it'll be too weird for them to take this seriously._

Luckily, there is one person who can help me out.

"Hey Kikoi."

The girl is question is startled from having her name called out like that. She weakly looks at me, fearful, as if I'm suspecting her.

"Have you worked on jungle movies and spy movies in the past?"

Taken aback by the strange question, she is silent for a moment. Of course, the moment she notices everyone staring at her, she tries to mumble an answer.

"Well…I guess…Coffin Crusader could be…may be…a jungle movie…and I have…there is…White Tiger and Renegade of The East…those are spy movies…"

Before Isamu and Mizuki can object to this seemingly random question, I nod firmly. "So, can I ask you a hypothetical question? Let's say you are standing on the ground and you want to have a hook hanging from the railing on the rooftop, preferably bound with rope. Could you swing a hook so far up that you could reach the roof?"

Kikoi blinks in confusion. "You mean the rooftop of the facility?"

I nod. She thinks, but then slowly shakes her head. "No…I don't think so…I mean, a hook can be heavy…and to throw it up…and spinning the rope…even Tomoe could not throw that far up…are you suspecting him?"

The accusation is quick and Tomoe sputters in protest. "Wha-again!? No, you fucks, I didn't fucking do it!"

"I'm not accusing you!" I hastily say before everyone starts distrusting my words. "I was just thinking about a theory."

There are a few suspicious looks, but most seem content with my reasoning. I sigh deeply and resist the urge to plant my face in my hands. _Back to square one it is. Dammit, I thought I had it…_

"…Unless you used a grappling gun."

 _Huh?_ "What did you say?"

Kikoi gives me a tiny smile. "A grappling gun. If you tie the rope to the hook, or just use the cable itself, you could shoot the hook up to the rooftop."

Boom. There it is. The piece that ties it together.

I barely manage to get out my words. "Has anyone seen a pair of grappling guns either in the storage room or in the Kumachrome shop?"

Ekorin almost smacks me in the face again with her hair as she shakes her head. "No, there haven't been any grappling guns in the storage closet."

"I saw a pair of grappling guns in the shop." Yuyami huffs. "I was saving coins to buy them because they looked epic, but they're gone."

"Well, that does it." I mutter. Shinri gives me a wary look. "What do you mean?"

I close my eye and take a deep breath. "I have…a theory. It's going to sound very crazy, I know, but to me, it makes the most sense."

I open my eyes, determination burning behind them. "What if the true confrontation didn't happen on the ground, but somewhere else?"

"Uh, what?" Homura asks in confusion. Looking at everyone's faces, she is far from the only one.

"This is going to take some explaining but bear with me." I say. "Alright, so, say you want to commit murder. What the last thing you want to happen during the kill?"

"Be caught in the act, obviously." Tomoe mutters.

I give a nod of confirmation. "Exactly. So why did the killer choose to murder Ainosuke in a place where they had a huge chance of being found out? The courtyard was being guarded by several people at the time."

Noriko nods along. "That's something that has been bothering me as well. Despite the fact the entire facility was heavily guarded, we only discovered Ainosuke's body this morning. Why hasn't any of my members stumbled upon it?"

Hanako coughs in embarrassment. "I…may have neglected the back of the school after our first meeting."

The dancer opens and closes her mouth in shock and outrage. "Hanako!"

"It's not like I completely neglected my task! Just the back of the school! I mean, how was I supposed to know someone would die there? What's the odds of someone sneaking past three people in almost complete darkness?"

"She has a point." Tomoe notes. Noriko glares at them both. "Who was your partner? Why didn't they say anything?"

The sprinter looks at her as if she'd grown three heads. "Ainosuke, remember? You were the one paring us up."

Shinri cuts between the two of them. "Woah, wait, what is this about? Partners?"

Noriko doesn't look him in the eyes. "Yes, I had pared the patrollers with each other, so they could swap positions every hour. It would keep them sharp and throw off anyone trying to memorize the pattern. Masato and Kikoi, Hanako and Ainosuke and Tomoe and I were pared together."

Masato nods. "And then we would regroup two times during the night, to report on everything that happened. I ran into a trashcan at one point, so I missed the second meeting while I was changing."

Isamu clicks with his tongue. "Any reason you've kept it silent until now?"

Noriko shakes her head. "I kept it between the patrol to make sure no one would make use of it. When…the investigation started, I completely forgot about it. I was and still am very tired."

However, she then turns to Hanako. "That doesn't explain why Ainosuke didn't object to you skipping work."

Obviously annoyed, Hanako crosses her arms. "Hey, _I_ wasn't the one to come up with that."

 _Wait, what?_

Upon seeing Noriko's confused look, Hanako explains. "He was the one who told me it was sort of pointless to keep changing positions if the entire point was to watch out for anyone going out at night. Like I said, it's hard to believe someone would make it past at least two or three people before running into us. Besides, someone could only make use of the position changing by running while we were distracted taking our places. He just told me to stick to my route and lie to you. I agreed because he was fucking right about it."

The new information seems to have stunned Noriko, though I'm not sure what the cause is: Hanako making a good point about her flawed plan, levelheaded Ainosuke being the one to suggest it or Hanako flat out admitting that she lied to her. Maybe a combination of all three.

"Looks like your patrol isn't as faithful as you thought it would be. Don't tell me you really thought everyone was going to stick perfectly to your little plan." Rea drawls, but the only one to react are Hanako and Ekorin, shooting angry glares at her.

Noriko herself looks…lost. Betrayed. I don't know why she makes such a huge fuss about it. I would certainly ditch some parts if I was among the patrol squad.

I shake my head. We have no time to discuss betrayal and tardiness. I have a point to make. "Getting back on track. Whether or not the killer knew about Hanako skipping out on duty, it's not really that smart to kill someone in a place where anyone could catch them."

Mizuki grip on her stand tightens. "Don't dance around the issue. Explain why the killer killed Ainosuke behind the school."

My next words almost seem to echo through-out the courtroom. "They didn't."

The silence lasts for a few seconds, as everyone seems to take in my words. Then, Isamu looks me directly in the eye. "Don't play games Yurika. No bloodstains have been found anywhere other then the crime scene. Ainosuke died there."

I snort, but my tone is humorless. "Oh, I can believe that. What I am saying is that the killer confronted him somewhere else. Specifically…on the rooftop!"

"What!?" Yuyami yells out. "What!?"

"That isn't possible! How can the location of confrontation and the location of his passing be two different places?" Ekorin's confusion matches that of everyone else.

 _Shit. Maybe I should have broken this down a bit more. Hopefully I can still fix it!_

"Guys, hear me out! I think I figured out a way how that can be possible!"

The group quiets a bit down. I visualize the scenario in my head before I start speaking. "Alright. Everyone knows about the broken window in the classroom, right? It's held up by rope. While we were investigating, I noticed the ropes were far longer than usual and it got me thinking. Why? Well, let's look at it this way. What if the ropes were changed, so that you can tie them to the grappling guns and shoot them all the way up to the roof. From there, the only thing you have to do is to use the ropes to raise the window until it's practically flat in the air. Then, you slap the murder weapons onto the glass, lure someone to the rooftop and throw them from the rooftop onto the window. Either they die from being impaled, or from the fall itself. And tadaa!"

I swing my arms up. "You killed someone…and have the perfect alibi to get away with it."

No one reacts. And this time, the silence is freaking me out. Minutes pass, all the while they are staring at me. Until finally, Shinri reacts.

"That. Is…

THE DUMBEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD!"

I internally sigh. _Dammit. I should have expected this answer._ A glance around the room confirms my suspicious. Everyone is looking at me as if I have lost my mind. Their murmurs accuse me of trying to cover something up and I realize I have to do something and fast.

 **NON-STOP DEBATE!**

-  
Bullet: Wooden stakes  
-

 **Shinri:** In case you didn't know, we are solving a _murder_!

 **Shinri:** Not making a goddamn conspiracy theory!

 **Rea:** Aw man, how disappointing…

 **Rea:** And _so close_ …

 **Mizuki:** And here I thought you were one of the smarter ones.

 **Isamu:** This was a complete waste of time.

 **Shinri:** You don't even have the slightest bit of proof.

 **Shinri: _Not to mention, the stakes would just fall off like that_**!

 **Tomoe:** …And you're missing the point.

" **NO, THAT'S WRONG!"**

"I have proof!" I yell with all the strength I can muster. Shinri looks like he is daring me to try. No, scratch that. He _is_ daring me.

"Then show it." He can barely keep his temper down and it's hearable. Knowing that I only have one shot at this, I bring up the picture. He flinches at the sight of it.

"Oh no, _don't you dare try to get out of this by_ -"

"Will you listen for a sec!?" I lose my temper at him. Before he can object, I continue talking. "The wooden stakes have a strange substance on them, so does the window. I've pondered over it, but I think I know what it is."

 _The answer is:_

-Water

-Paint

 **-Glue**

"It's glue. Now, you tell me, why would someone glue a wooden stake onto the window? Maybe to keep it standing upright while he raises the window up?"

He can't seem to find an objection to that and to be honest, I don't know whether that's a good or a bad thing.

"One coincidental piece of evidence doesn't prove your outlandish theory." Mizuki points out. I nod with a determined look in my eyes. _I will not yield to her!_

"I know. That's why I have more."

Seemingly taking the challenge, she stares right back at me. "Alright. Then tell me, what proves that the hooks were shot up to the rooftop?"

I grab the right bullet from my brain as I continue the staring contest. "The fact I found a pair of hooks on the rooftop. The were hidden away from sight, so obviously someone did not want us to see them."

She won't admit defeat that easily though. "It could be a red herring. Where is the proof that the hooks were there at the time of murder?"

I give a triumphal huff. "There are scratches on the railing that couldn't have been made by humans. I am more willing to bet that those scratches are from the hooks."

"It could still be a coincidence! What proves they were connected to the murder!?"

"The rope! It's so long it could reach the roof! Why else would someone replace a rope that long?"

"So? There could still be a hundred more reasons! How can you be so sure someone was dropped onto it!?"

"Because Homura said earlier that the glass had been cracked by something heavy that fell from a high place. A body from the rooftop would make the perfect fit!"

"Argh! Your theory is outlandish! How does this make any sense to you! How did you jump from a broken window to a complicated trap? Why would anyone come up with this!?"

"Because someone was trying to lure and kill Yoru!"

My words ring through the room, as Mizuki finally breaks. She takes a step back, her eyes wide and face pale. Bewildered, she turns to look at Yoru. "W-what?"

I immediately feel guilty for putting Yoru on the spot like this, so I take over. "Yoru came to me with a note during the investigation. Well, more like he shoved it into my hand."

He swallows. "Someone slid it under my door last night. I was showering at the time, so I didn't get a chance to go out and see who it was. It didn't have a name on it either. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to get worried."

I take the note from my pocket and unfold it. "It told him to go to the roof at midnight. If you ask me…someone tried to kill him using that trap. Yoru looks relatively light, so he shouldn't be much of a hassle to throw over the rooftop. That's why he was targeted."

Shinri leans over to see and he frowns. "I'm surprised you can make that out. It's so curvy and swirly it hardly resembles letters anymore. Hell, even my doctors have better handwriting than this."

The letter ends up getting passed around. "You're right," Kikoi says, holding the letter an armlength away from her face, "the only…thing you can make out clearly is…the time and location. As if he wanted to make sure…ensure…that he…you know…would get it…"

"So why did Ainosuke end up getting killed instead?" Yuyami asks.

"Maybe he figured out someone wanted to kill Yoru and went in his place instead." Ekorin theorizes.

Yoru shifts around a bit. "That's a possibility. I didn't see him last night."

 _Wait, what?_

My words barely come up. "You mean, you actually went out!?"

Isamu blinks in awe. "That must be the epitome of stupidity."

Yoru raises his hands up in defense. "I didn't think it would be that bad. I just thought that maybe I could take a quick look and leave if things got too dangerous. Besides, when I got to the door to the rooftop, it was locked, so I went back. I thought whoever had been waiting for me got bored and left."

Noriko looks like as if she has been slapped. "B-but, how in the world did you get past my patrol?"

At her words, he looks at the ground, twirling his fingers. "I didn't."

Silence rings through the room, Tomoe being the one to break it. "What."

"When I went out, I was so nervous I didn't look up from the note. I crashed into someone and fell to the floor. After which, there was a bright light that shone in my eyes. When my eyes were okay again, there was no one there anymore. After which, I just avoided being spotted. I have a pretty good night sight, so it wasn't much of a problem."

 _This information…may have just changed everything._

A small giggle rings bring my attention to Rea. Her smile is small, but oh so devilish. "Hmm, looks like the patrol suddenly got very suspicious. Makes sense too. Being allowed to walk around at night, with no one to check on what you are doing? Seems like an opportunity too great to turn down. It's the perfect excuse. Not to mention, a bright light? Sounds like a flashlight to me."

At this point, Noriko seems at the verge of tears. Not that I blame her. In the span of one night and one day, her plan to protect everyone was hijacked by the murder of one of the people she trusted, her volunteers reveal to have lied to her and broke her trust, someone slipped under their radar anyway and as it turns out, her very wish to protect everyone became the perfect stage for a crime. Everything she did came falling down into pieces. And now there is a big chance someone in her patrol may have been the one to off Ainosuke.

Shinri lightly coughs to cease the murmurs that arise by this revelation. "Getting back on track, could it be possible that Ainosuke might have been the one to bump into you?"

Yoru thinks, but then shrugs. "I honestly don't know who I bumped into. They didn't say anything, and the light blinded me, so I didn't see them either."

"Perhaps he saw the note you dropped and decided to put a stop to it." Mizuki theorizes.

"Hold up! That makes no sense!" Hanako suddenly shouts. "Why would he go to the dormitory? That wasn't in our route. Our route was a part of the courtyard and the hallway. I even saw him switching routes with Masato, so he could have that route. There is no way he could have bumped into you if he was never around there to begin with."

 _Wait, huh?_

Yuyami scratches his head. "Huh? That's weird. How did he get on the rooftop then?"

Isamu clicks with his tongue. "Perhaps the roof theory was wrong after all."

Ekorin frowns at him. "After so much evidence?"

"Those strings of evidence could have been planted to throw us off track or be coincidental." Mizuki points out. "We still have no reliable theory."

As the others keep discussing, their voices turn into white noise. I stare at the note, remembering a clue I almost discarded. The puzzle pieces fall into place one by one, as I realize…

My voice is chocked, but my words reach out anyways. "I think I know who set up this trap."

Everyone falls silent again, shocked by my words.

"What? You know? No way, we aren't even done discussing why or why not your first theory is legit!" Yuyami whines.

"Who cares about that? We finally have a suspect!" Hanako cheers. "We are getting somewhere."

"Don't leave us waiting, fucking tell us!" Homura eggs me on.

 _The only one…who could have done this…is…_

 **Select someone!**


	11. Chapter 1 Trial 2

**Select someone!**

Yurika  
Shinri  
Hanako  
Yoru  
Toshiya  
Homura  
Masato  
Rea  
Tomoe  
 **Ainosuke (dead)**  
Yuyami  
Isamu  
Kikoi  
Noriko  
Mizuki  
Ekorin

" **IT COULD HAVE ONLY BEEN YOU!"**

"There is only one person who could have set all of this up…and it's the one person who is no longer with us."

Shinri must have inhaled air at the wrong moment, because he doubles over from coughing. The others have similar reactions. Some, like Hanako, are just blinking owlishly, taking in the new info, others, like Isamu, are just staring at me with an open mouth. And then there is Homura.

"Um, what the fuck? Last time I checked, dude was as dead as a fucking dodo."

However, I'm not about to have my theory brought into question _again_. "This entire time, we have been thinking the perpetrator of this trap and the culprit are the same person. But if you start thinking about them as two different individuals, things suddenly get a whole lot more interesting. For example, you get the possibility that Ainosuke may have been the one to set up that trap!"

…Looking at their faces, I can tell there is another debate coming.

 **NON-STOP DEBATE!**

-  
Bullet: Glitter pen  
-

 **Tomoe:** What the fuck?

 **Tomoe:** We just got some crazy-ass theory from you…

 **Tomoe:** And now you're saying Ainosuke _came up with it_?

 **Noriko:** There is no way Ainosuke is the perpetrator.

 **Noriko:** It just can't.

 **Noriko:** He _**couldn't even have written that note**_!

 **Yuyami:** Yeah, _no guy_ would ever write something that girly.

 **Rea:** It's fascinating, really…

 **Rea:** …just how _blind bias can make you_.

" **NO, THAT'S WRONG!"**

At this point, no one is surprised by my sudden shouts anymore, so I just immediately debunk her argument. "I have physical proof that Ainosuke was the one to write that note. See how the paper is written with pink ink?"

Without waiting for their answers, I pull up the picture from my E-Book. "You can see right here…that Ainosuke has a pen with pink ink! Obviously, he had to be the one to write that note."

Noriko looks more than offended. "That proves nothing! It could be a coincidence!"

I can't help but snort loudly. "Yeah, he just so happens to have brought a pen with pink ink for no reason during the night that someone was lured to their supposed death with a note that has been written in pink ink. Yup, totally legit."

"If Ainosuke truly wrote that note, it would make perfect sense for him to be involved in the other preparations. A letter telling someone to head for the rooftop perfectly aligns with a trap that was specifically designed to be used on the rooftop." Toshiya continues. "It's not a bad idea to consider the fact that multiple people have been involved in this. It could be that his plan was found out and someone decided to eliminate him before he could do it to someone else."

I nod. _I don't like to admit it either, but we must accept it to go on._ "So, with this evidence, I'm pretty sure we can conclude- "

" **I'LL CRITICIZE YOUR LOGIC!"**

 _Wha- what the fuck!? Shinri!?_

I instinctively take a step aside. Shinri is glaring at me with fire in his eyes. "You can't just go and decide that on a whim! Have you any idea how much impact carelessness will have? Here, I'll prove your theory wrong!"

 _Crap! Lame shout or not, Shinri has a strong voice, compelling arguments and a talent for swaying people to his side. If I don't destroy his argument, everyone will end up against me! I won't let that happen!_

 **REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN**

-  
Blade: List of bought items  
-

 **Shinri:** You need to stop 'proving' your/ theories with just one piece of evidence!

 **Shinri:** There are a hundred ways/ that pen could have gotten there.

 **Shinri:** He could have/ held onto it for the killer…

 **Shinri:** Or have it planted on/ him by the culprit!

 **Advance!**

You're right that my ideas are based on one piece of evidence. **:Yurika**

But that doesn't mean my ideas shouldn't be given any thought. **:Yurika**

 **Shinri:** That just proves/ my point!

 **Shinri:** There is no other evidence/ that he was the one to make that trap!

 **Shinri:** If you really are so certain he made/ that trap…

 **Shinri:** Where is the/ other evidence?

 **Shinri:** Are there traces of/ wood snippers on his clothes?

 **Shinri:** Did anyone see him sneaking/ around with something sharp?

 **Shinri:** _ **HELL, THERE IS NO PROVE THAT HE OR ANYONE/ ELSE COULD HAVE SHARPENED THOSE STAKES!**_

" **I'LL CUT THROUGH YOUR ARGUMENT!"**

I give him a small smile. "You're right. _I_ don't have proof that Ainosuke was the one to cut the brooms."

He triumphally grins at everyone. "See? I was right! She-"

"But Hanako does."

His grin falters as everyone first looks at me, then at Hanako.

"What?"

Isamu is equally confused, just like others.

"What?"

"What?"

"What?"

"What?"

"What?"

"Don't say 'what' too!" Isamu hisses at Hanako, who looks confused at me. "I'm serious! What?"

It takes every inch of my body not to sigh loudly. "The paper? The list? That you gathered?"

A light goes on in her head, I can almost see it. With a grin, she reaches in her bra and pulls out the paper. "That's right! I almost forgot about this!"

"You forgot something in your bra?" Yuyami snickers. "You sure there isn't anything else in there you lost?"

"Nah, just this awesome list of everything bought at the Kumachrome shop!" Hanako laughs. It most certainly gets everyone's attention.

"Now that is unexpectedly helpful. If something sharp was bought at the Kumachrome store, we may be closer to the truth than we thought. Looks like you do have some brains in there." Mizuki muses. Hanako glares and huffs in response.

"You better believe this pink-haired brainiac just saved the day! That'll teach you all not to underestimate my genius mind!"

"Just read the damn list." Isamu urges. Hanako rolls her eyes. "Sure, sure. Now, let's see…"

Her eyes go over the list, taking in every word. To my surprise, it's much longer than I expected. _Just how much time did she spend making this?_

Eventually, she stops at one line. She seems to read it over and over again as her face pales. "Oh…you guys may not like this."

"What's it say?" Masato asks.

"…Let's just say, Yurika's theory suddenly got a lot more substance…"

"Does…does that mean it's true?" Yoru asks with a small voice. "Ainosuke really tried to kill me?"

The runner swallows and continues. "It says everything right here. Yesternight, just before night-time, Ainosuke bought a pocketknife, superglue and the two grappling guns. Spend a lot of money on it too, as if he was saving it…"

My chest tightens. I actually hoped I was wrong. That there was a different outcome. Because, now I have to imagine creepy but sweet Ainosuke being driven to murder and failing.

"Well, that does it." Toshiya says. "As hard as it is, we have no other choice but to accept the facts. Ainosuke was the only one who had the time, chance and materials to set this up. But we cannot dwell on this. We need to figure out who thwarted his plans and how."

"Seems pretty simple to me." Homura smirks. "Yoru said he bumped into someone. That someone must have run to the rooftop and pushed Ainosuke over."

Ekorin lightly strokes her hair. "Then, who was it? Who pushed Yoru aside?"

Rea chuckles. "It's a one in five chance. Just pick a patroller. Anyone wanna gamble with me?"

Noriko steps back and presses a hand to her chest. "Excuse me!?"

The strategist rolls her eyes. "If any of the others tried to kill him, don't you think they would have been seen at some point? Wake up. If anyone killed Aino, it would have been one of you five. Stop lying to yourself. Unless _you_ are our killer and you are just acting sympathetic to gain our trust and win brownie points."

She wants to argue back, I can see it in her eyes. But her strength seems to have left her body. All she can do is angrily wipe away her tears.

"I'm not…"

To my surprise, Tomoe sticks up for her. "Yoru managed to sneak past us though. Why couldn't anyone else have?"

"Yoru didn't succeed completely, or do you have a hole in your brain?" Rea sneers at him. "Or are you saying you all were incompetent enough to fail at the one job you had? Go on, I'm listening."

… _Bitch. Though I have to admit, if there is anyone who could have done this, it would be one of those five...but to find out who…_

 **NON-STOP DEBATE!**

-  
Bullet: Noriko's account  
-

 **Noriko:** None of us did it…no one…

 **Noriko:** Why do you not understand!?

 **Isamu:** Maybe it's because you don't have _any proof to back your claim_?

 **Hanako:** Hey Mizuki, now it's time for alibi's, like you wanted at the beginning of this trial!

 **Mizuki:** …I guess…

 **Hanako:** I'll go first!

 **Hanako:** I never went into the dormitory _after 11.00 pm_.

 **Tomoe:** Same thing to me.

 **Kikoi:** I-I…had…t-the…

 **Masato:** While we were guarding the area around the dormitory…

 **Masato:** …Nothing special happened.

 **Masato:** And I _**stuck the whole time to my route**_!

 **Homura:** Damn. How will we find out _who is lying_?

" **NO, THAT'S WRONG!"**

My hands clamp around the railing as I look straight at Masato. "What are you saying? According to Noriko's testament, not only did you bump into Yuyami and made sure he went back to his room, but you also crashed into something during the night. You even said you went back to your room to change."

 _-Flashback-_

 _Masato nods. "And then we would regroup two times during the night, to report on everything that happened. I ran into a trashcan at one point, so I missed the second meeting while I was changing."_

 _-Flashback-_

The marine biologist frowns. "Alright, so I forgot I knocked over a trashcan and went back to change. Sue me. What's so wrong about it? Did you want me to walk the rest of my patrol in dirty, stinking clothes?"

"No, but it did give you two, no, three chances to bump into Yoru that night." I say. He stares back at me.

"Are you accusing me?"

My fingernails drill into my palms. "No, I'm breaking through the contradictions. You said you never went off your route. Noriko's testimony just disproves that. Either you really forgot…or you are lying."

Masato seems irritated. "Okay, sure, I forgot. And? None of what you just said paints me as a potential suspect."

Yuyami nods. "Yeah, I can confirm the part about me. We walked to my room together and I even got him to stay a while. I have energy drinks in my rooms, so I thought it would help. Kikoi was staying near the stairs, waiting for him, so he eventually left with an extra for his girlfriend-"

"K-Kikoi is not my girlfriend!" Masato denies a little too quick for my liking.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Any case, he went out of the dormitory, I know cuz I watched him leave before returning to my room. Not entirely sure what time that was, but I went to sleep at 1.00 am, so it should have been before that."

-  
New bullet: Yuyami's account  
-

"But there is still a timeframe in which he could have bumped into Yoru, so he is still suspicious." Mizuki points out, to the annoyance of the fisher boy.

"Oh come on! Yurika makes some weird theory and everyone believes her, but I even have someone to back me up and nobody believes me?"

"Yurika's theories, embarrassingly enough, ended up having tons of proof. You only have the word of a guy who can't even give a solid alibi for you." Isamu remarks.

Masato grips the railing a little tighter, as his next words seemed to be spewed up like poison. "What kind of alibi does Toshiya have for being at the scene of crime before anyone else?"

Toshiya blinks in surprise as the people around him stare at him. "Huh? But I thought we had already resolved-"

Shinri cuts him off. "It's not like we ever got proof that the sound you heard was real. You're still suspicious!"

Isamu nods. "I agree, you being there at the scene of crime is still something that cannot be ignored."

Hanako looks like she's about to explode. "Really? You're still going after him like that even after everything!?"

"What are you guys, blind? We are interrogating Masato here, not Toshiya!" Mizuki yells at them in annoyance.

"And? That doesn't give him a free pass." Noriko scowls. "If we are going to suspect anyone, we should take everyone into consideration."

"Wow, favoritism much? Terribly sorry we're not part of your super-special patrol group." Yuyami drawls sarcastically.

Tomoe rolls his eyes. "And yet you guys insist on going after the patrol. Don't be hypocrites."

"Guys! Please stop! Don't fight! We won't solve a thing like this!" Yoru shouts. Masato glares at him.

"And yet you're perfectly fine with accusing me, are you? Kikoi, we-"

But to my surprise, Kikoi shakes her head. "No. I'm so, so, sorry. But I know Toshiya is not our guy. And thus, if it means reaching the truth, I will oppose you."

"Jesus fuck, this is starting to annoy me. You guys are pretty much split in the middle of this shit! Just get to a conclusion already!" Homura yells impatiently.

I want about to try again and shoot down everyone's arguments, but then, Monokuma barges into our discussion.

" **NOW HOLD ON!"**

 _Huh? What does he want?_

"What? Did I say something-"

Homura couldn't even finish her sentence as Monokuma talks right over her.

"My, my, you guys sure seem to be _split_ about this issue. Luckily for you, I have exactly what you guys need! I present: The Morphing Trial Grounds!"

Mizuki raises a wary eyebrow. "Morphing Trial Grounds?"

Rea practically squeals. "No way, these stands can do something else than look antique and boring? And here I thought the trial room was nothing more but a badly-designed excuse to raise tension while throwing in some aesthetics!"

… _In any case, I need to convince everyone that Toshiya isn't the culprit. I don't care how much arguing it's going to take, I will reach the truth!_

Kumachrome pulls a lever next to him and from underneath the throne, metal rises up. Monokuma takes out a pretty key and puts it in what I guess is a keyhole. The moment he twists, colored lights spring all over the metal. One by one, the stands light up.

 _Whoa!_

I almost yell in surprise when my stand suddenly moves, raising towards the sky. I anxiously hold tight onto the railing as we rise higher and higher. Then, I stop, and I look up to see Masato, Shinri, Isamu, Tomoe, Noriko and Rea standing on the opposite of me. I look to my side and see Hanako, Yuyami, Mizuki, Yoru and Kikoi lined up next to me. I look down and see Toshiya and Homura still on the ground.

"Yo, what the fuck? Why did my stand not fucking move up there!? That's fucking awesome as shit!"

"You and Toshiya didn't take an active side. As such, you're excluded from the debate."

 _Toshiya? But why…no, it doesn't matter if he believes in himself or not. I won't yield. If he won't prove to those idiots he is innocent, I will!_

With a deep breath, I ready myself on the stand…and stare ignorance in its face!

 **SCRUM DEBATE START!**

 **Shinri:** Toshiya has no solid alibi!

" **Mizuki!"**

Masato has no _**solid alibi**_ either, and is much more suspicious: **Mizuki**

 **Isamu:** Toshiya's presence at the crime scene is too blatant to ignore.

" **Hanako!"**

Masato was early at the _**crime scene**_ too, I saw it with my own eyes!: **Hanako**

 **Tomoe:** He could have made up the sound and killed him.

" **Yoru!"**

Ainosuke died during the night, so Toshiya couldn't have _**killed**_ him!: **Yoru**

 **Noriko:** Toshiya could have still found a way, he is smart enough to avoid us.

" **Yuyami!"**

Doesn't matter if he's _**smart**_ , it's kind of impossible to get past you guys: **Yuyami**

 **Masato:** Toshiya has to be the culprit, there is no one else who can!

" **Kikoi!"**

Yes, someone else can be the _**culprit**_ , if we stop letting bias cloud our judgement!: **Kikoi**

 **Rea:** If we continue on, the truth will become more and more painful. Are you sure you want that?

" **My turn!"**

I don't care if the _**truth**_ becomes painful, because otherwise we will all die!: **Yurika**

" **THIS IS OUR ANSWER!"**

And with that, the debate is over. While Masato is still furious and Noriko is still holding firmly onto her standpoint, Shinri, Tomoe and Isamu seem to have given up on proving us wrong. Seeing the debate is over, Monokuma takes the key back out and the stands lower to the ground.

 _Sweet, sweet ground never leave me!_

Shinri secures himself next to me and sighes. "I guess you've made your point. Even if Toshiya doesn't have proof for his appearance at the scene of crime, he isn't likely to have killed him. Seems I was right about him being a red herring."

Isamu still doesn't seem over it. "But why was he unconscious when we arrived? That still doesn't make any sense."

Toshiya coughs in embarrassment. "I…didn't want to tell, but I guess I have no choice now. The truth is…I have hemophobia. A…pretty extreme version of it. If I see blood, even a little bit, I will faint on the spot. It was the reason I was unqualified to become a detective."

Mizuki studies him intently. "Any proof to back up your claim? Any medical forms?"

Toshiya winces. "I…have no idea where my medical id got to, if the guards were here I could ask for them…"

"Yo Kumachrome, care to help out?" Homura glances at the bear.

Rea rolls her eyes. "Tsk, why do it the long and boring way when you can do this?"

Before any of us can even begin to stop her, she rips out a pin from…somewhere…and stabs her hand with it. Blood trickles down her hand and drips onto her stand. Toshiya's eyes go wide as his body starts shaking uncontrollably. His breathing becomes slowly but surely heavier, but he seems unable to rip his eyes away from her hand. Then, he freezes, and he falls backwards. A loud thud sounds through the courtroom.

For a few seconds, I'm frozen in my spot. But then, my legs move and, in an instant, I'm at his side.

"Toshiya!"

My voice sounds foreign. I grab his shoulders, anything to wake him up. Suddenly, someone harshly shoves me aside. Voices go through my head, but none of them catch on. Until Mizuki speaks.

"…It's true. His reaction is valid. Toshiya does have indeed hemophobia."

I look up and see her crouching next to Toshiya, examining her. She looks back at me. "Terribly sorry for pushing you aside, but I needed room to check. He'll be alright, but he might take a while before he wakes up. In the meantime, we should treat Rea's injury." She doesn't seem truly sorry, but I don't care. I'm happy the only person I somewhat trust here is okay.

"Yes, please, cover it. Oh god, I didn't think you'd actually be so stupid to…" Shinri doesn't even finish his sentence as he covers his mouth.

"Well, you wanted proof, here you have it. Happy?" From Rea's voice, I can tell just how indifferent she is about it. As if just straight up stabbing herself isn't such a big deal. It makes me wonder just how fucked up in the head she is.

Ekorin takes a handkerchief from her pocket and hurries over to Rea, fussing over her injury. She wraps it around her hand and secures it. "Don't worry about returning it to me. I have plenty."

I get up from the ground and walk back to my stand. I see Tomoe helping Mizuki gently laying Toshiya down in a more comfortable way. It seems I am not going to get any help from him for the rest of the trial. _Damn it…just when I proved your innocence, you just had to faint on me. Guess I have to do the rest myself as well._

"In any case, I think we can all agree now that Toshiya is innocent. If he was the culprit, he wouldn't go to the crime scene, where he would be knocked unconscious." I say.

Isamu sighs loudly. "I suppose it is hard to argue with…this."

He then turns to Masato, looking directly into his eyes. "So, Masato, shall we begin exploring your alibi?"

Masato at this point looks like he's going to freak out at any moment. "What? Why?"

Tomoe grunts. "Because Hanako brought up a good point during our debate. I clearly saw you walking with Kikoi to the gym, but next time I see you, which isn't even much later, you're sprinting back to the school on your own. Thought you'd have forgotten something, but it's really suspicious that you're the second person to discover the body."

 _Huh…now that's interesting…_

"Well, I did forget something! I-I forgot I accidentally dropped a pin in the cafeteria, so I went back. But then I heard something from behind the school and saw Toshiya lying next to Ainosuke. I have nothing to do with this!"

… _He is lying. I can hear it in his voice. But if I don't choose my words carefully, we'll keep going in circles. Looks like I have to be very careful about this. Maybe I need to use someone else's words for this…_

 **NON-STOP DEBATE!**

-  
Absorbed bullet: Trashcans near the school  
-

 **Masato:** I didn't kill Ainosuke!

 **Masato:** I just _wanted to find my pin_!

 **Yuyami:** Hate to say it, but that sounds very unbelievable.

 **Tomoe:** Fucking liar. Just admit you did it!

 **Masato:** I'm _not lying_! I'm telling the truth!

 **Rea:** Even about the _rest of the night_?

 **Rea:** Yuyami's testimony, your crash-in with the _trashcans near the school_? You going back to _change_?

 **Masato:** Yes! Because none of it even _**remotely ties me to this crime**_!

" **NO, THAT'S WRONG!"**

 _I never thought I would even come to day I agree with Rea so soon. And I hope the next time isn't anytime soon._

"Rea just said something really interesting. Apparently, the trashcans are located near the school, but you clearly said your route wasn't anywhere near the school building. How come you crashed into them?"

The fisherman is practically sweating at this point. "…I went to the toilet and when I came back, I crashed into them. Happy?"

"Oh Yurika, I'm honored you're using my argument for your theories. But you've got to be a little more thorough when it comes to mindgames." Rea drawls, before turning to Noriko. "Say, Black Swan, when did you hear the sound that supposedly came from Merman?"

Noriko is a bit put off by the nickname, but then decided to answer anyways. "…Somewhere around midnight. And…Ainosuke, Kikoi and Masato were missing for the 2.00 pm meeting."

Hanako can barely contain her grin as she turns to Masato and strokes her chin. "Hmmm…"

Isamu looks proud as he concludes the crime. "So, after Yuyami bumps into Masato, he escorts him back to his room. When he leaves, he bumps into Yoru, who drops his note. Masato, realizing someone is trying to kill him, decides to intervene and heads for the rooftop, where he meets Ainosuke. After what I presume is a struggle, Masato manages to push Ainosuke off the roof, into his trap. Masato runs back down, reassures everyone what they heard was just him running into trashcans and runs to his room, either to fix any injuries or clothing damage, or just to cope with the fact he murdered someone. Case closed."

"Good job team!" Shinri flashes a smile at everyone, especially me.

Homura cheers. "Looks like we ain't dying tonight!"

"But Masato will." Ekorin points out. The mood immediately dampens from her words, until Kikoi of all people speaks up.

"Masato…please, I beg of you. Don't…don't do this. Please tell them the truth." Tears are already threatening to leak from her eyes. "Let me…"

But Masato shakes his head with a small smile. "I couldn't."

Thirteen pair of eyes focus on him as he takes a deep breath and sighs. "You guys…are right. I am the killer of Ainosuke." He says with a mournful smile.

Kikoi slaps her hands for her mouth as she silently begins to cry. But no one is focused on her anymore. Deep from within, curiosity stirs with me. _Why did he do it?_

"Why?" Noriko almost chokes out. "Why would you do this?"

"Because…I didn't want him to hurt anyone. And…he wouldn't back down. I had no other choice. I intended to tell you guys about it this morning, but then Monokuma explained the rest of the killing game and I became scared. I'm sorry."

Yoru almost seems to burst into tears. "You…you should have just let me go. Then you wouldn't have to…"

Masato flashes him a sad smile. "Don't say that after all the trouble I went through to protect you. Did you know how hard it was to find the keys to the door to the rooftop?"

 _Huh_ _? What is he saying?_

It doesn't cheer him up, but he nods. It seems Masato confession took everyone's breath away. But Rea only smiles and leans on her stand. "So, that's it? We all came to a conclusion?"

"I think we have." Mizuki simply states.

"Damn it, dude." Homura grumbles. "You fucked up for yourself."

Masato laughs, but it's empty. "I guess I did."

Rea sighs loudly. "Aw man, and here I hoped the game would continue on. Oh well, I had fun while it lasted."

… _Is it really over? Masato's confession checks out, but I still feel like we're missing puzzle pieces. Why did Masato decide to go back to the body this morning? It kind of fucked him over in the end. Is it just stupidity, or there more to it? And what he just said right now…_

Still thinking it over, I absentmindedly put my hands in the pocket of my pants. I just fumble around, until something sharp stings me.

"Ow!"

Ekorin and Shinri jump at my sudden shout. "Hey, you okay?" He asks.

"Yeah, just, touched something sharp…"

My hand closes around the sharp object and I take it out of my pocket. When I open my palm, a tiny shard of glass rests there. "Glass…"

My mind rushes back to the glass and plastic I found near the body. _Is it possible…_

"Hey, Homura, can you examine one last thing for me?" I ask, desperate to keep my voice steady. The punk looks at me with an interested and surprised expression. "More glass? Sure, bring it over here, makes me feel useful here."

Careful not to trip over Toshiya's unconscious body, I walk over to Homura and hand her the tiny piece of glass. She brings it to her face, turning it around between her fingers. "It's so fucking tiny…but this is not the first time I've seen glass like this. My best guess is that…it comes from a pair of glasses."

Shinri raises his hands. "Not mine, I'm very careful with them. Haven't broken them for years."

Kikoi raises an eyebrow. "You have multiple?"

He huffs. "Yeah, the one I wear now and a spare. But the spare is in my room and unbroken."

"Yurika, where did you find it?" Mizuki ask. I take another deep breath.

"Just near Ainosuke's body. There were multiple shards, but I only took one. I guess someone must have dropped a pair of glasses there. And I'm pretty sure it's not from one of the guards. I don't know how Monokuma disposed of them, but I'm pretty sure he would thoroughly clean the scene."

Tomoe clicks with his tongue. "You sure about that?"

"Hey, hey, hey! I have you know I am one very tidy and neatly bear, you know! To do something so sloppy as to litter on the grass is too OOC for me! Rika's right, the glass came from one of you delinquents!" Monokuma objects, flailing his stubby arms around.

Yuyami scratches his head. "But Shinri's the only one with glasses…are you telling me he did it?"

… _No…_

 **NON-STOP DEBATE!**

-  
Bullet: Piece of black plastic  
-

 **Hanako:** Wait, hold up, didn't Masato already _confess_?

 **Masato:** Yes, I have. I have no idea why we're discussing this.

 **Homura:** Well, my fucking eyes say this glass _is from some glasses_.

 **Homura:** And if they aren't from Shinri, who are they from?

 **Yuyami:** Could it all have been one _red herring_?

 **Shinri:** I don't know why those are there, but they aren't from me!

 **Isamu:** Still, it's very suspicious…

 **Isamu:** Are you sure _**you don't have proof**_?

" **NO, THAT'S WRONG!"**

I quickly show Shinri the photo before Isamu can even try to shut down my argument. "If the glass is from a pair of glasses, then this piece of black plastic must be from the frame. Do you recognize it?"

He shakes his head. "Like I said, not mine. My glasses have thin rims and this plastic must be from thick rims."

Isamu frowns at him. "How can we trust your words?"

"Because he told me he can't see without his glasses." I interrupt.

-Flashback-

" _I don't know what to do in this situation. It's like…walking without glasses to me. Everything is blurry, it's hard to focus and it's making me dizzy. It's…insane."_

-Flashback-

Shinri nods. "I can proof it by taking my glasses off, but I'd prefer it if you guys would take my word for it. I need those glasses to see. And if we go by the fact that the only time I could have dropped them was during the murder, how the hell could I have gotten back if I constantly wear them to see? I would have bumped into the first patroller. Hell, I probably wouldn't have even made it that far."

 _Then…that means I'm right. And if I'm right…than that means…_

Masato's laugh is shaky but manages to cut off the debate anyways. "Oh, come on guys, I already confessed. What more do you want from me? Look, I know you guys want to make sure no turn is left unturned, but…I have already accepted the fact I'm going to die. The glass is probably nothing more than a coincidence. I know this is hard, but we have to accept the facts. It's time to end this."

 _What…do I do? Should I…call him out? Or should I just go along?_

… _No, I have gotten so far, I need to finish this! Masato is right, it's time to end this!_

"Hold up Masato. Before we do that, I need to ask you something."

The fisherman blinks in surprise, but then smiles. "Anything you want."

"What happened to the pole?"

"Pole?"

"Yes, the one we discussed at the beginning. Mizuki mentioned it was gone, no one's found it, and its purpose was still unclear."

"Well…I brought it with me as a defense weapon. I used to knock Ainosuke off the roof. I left it on the roof. You probably all missed it."

I nod at his words. "I see…and, didn't you say you locked the door to the rooftop with the keys you found? Where did you get them?"

Masato bites his lips, choosing his words carefully before answering. "In the storage room. It was buried under some stuff, so Mizuki and Ekorin probably didn't know about it."

"And both of these statements are the truth, are they?"

He frowns at me. "Yes. Why are you asking me all this?"

I can't help smirking. He fell right into my trap. "I just thought it was funny…considering _the door to the rooftop doesn't have a lock._ "

He flinches from my words and Yoru chimes in. "That's right! Now that I think about it, I never saw a keyhole in the door! How can you unlock a door when there is no lock to begin with?"

Hanako blinks. "But you said the door was locked. So how did that happen?"

Masato struggles to find an answer. "Well…I…uh…"

 _I know the answer. It's…_

-  
Bullet: Pole  
-

"The true killer used the pole to block the door! It opens from the inside, so if you firmly place the pole between the handle and the wall, you can block it. That's why Yoru couldn't open it."

Masato laughs nervously. "H-haha, yeah, that's right. I used the pole for that! See, nothing wrong after all…"

Shinri won't have any of it however. "Then why didn't you claim so in the first place? If you are the culprit, you certainly would remember such a thing. You even made up a story for the key that never existed."

The trial room erupts into murmurs, but Rea catches my eye. "You finally realized, have you? The true culprit in this case. The only one who had the chance to do it, who could have defeated Ainosuke and who dropped the glasses."

… _She is right. I know. I-I don't want to call out that person. But…I have to do it. For them…and for myself._

 **Select someone!**

Yurika  
Shinri  
Hanako  
Yoru  
Toshiya  
Homura  
Masato  
Rea  
Tomoe  
Ainosuke (dead)  
Yuyami  
Isamu  
 **Kikoi**  
Noriko  
Mizuki  
Ekorin

" **IT COULD HAVE ONLY BEEN YOU!"**

"Everyone! Shut the fuck up!" I yell as loud as I can. All eyes turn to me. I ball my fists. "The person who really killed Ainosuke…is Kikoi."

Kikoi pales considerably. "I-I…"

"Don't deny it. You're the only who Masato would go so far for to protect. So far…he would mess with the crime scene and pin the blame on himself. All just to save you."

"Mess…with the crime scene?" Ekorin repeats.

"Ah, you mean the sound Toshiya heard, don't you?" Rea playfully says. "I had been wondering about that. Could it be that instead of making the sound that was heard during the night, Masato made a sound during the day?"

"Sound? What kind of sound?" Yuyami asks.

"Hm, maybe the sound of the body crashing onto the ground? Theoretically, it could be that instead of Ainosuke immediately dropping to the ground, the window and the ropes were strong enough to keep him in the air." Shinri mumbles loud enough for everyone to hear.

"And then during the day, he untied the ropes from the hooks and hid them. That's what made the second sound." Isamu continues his train of thought.

"Hold up you guys!" Noriko suddenly shouts. "We're talking about Kikoi here! The shy girl who wouldn't hurt a fly."

Homura winches. "I…wouldn't say that. She hurt me pretty badly when I was facing off Monokuma."

Yuyami agrees. "Yeah, I'm not forgetting her flip anytime soon."

Kikoi herself seems on the point of breaking down. I hate to do this, but someone must be the one to-

" **YOUR THEORY HOLDS NO WATER!"**

Masato's sudden shout surprises me. Fire is in his eyes as he glares at me. "Liar! You're just trying to make this harder for me, don't you! I was the one who killed Ainosuke!"

 _He is delusional! If I want to break through with him, I need to destroy his counterargument._

 **REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN**

-  
Blade: Hanako's account  
-

 **Masato:** I was the one/ who killed Ainosuke!

 **Masato:** So what if I messed /up on one little detail?

 **Masato:** That doesn't make/ all the other evidence invalid!

 **Masato:** Making the jump from me/ to Kikoi is too far!

 **Masato:** So stop ganging/ up on her!

 **Advance!**

A lot of the evidence that points to you can also be applied to Kikoi : **Yurika**

And you wouldn't have made such a mistake if you were the true killer : **Yurika**

 **Masato:** Still, that doesn't/ change anything!

 **Masato:** I'm not an accomplish, I am/ a murderer!

 **Masato:** I couldn't have been/ the one to mess up the crime scene this morning!

 **Masato:** _ **I wouldn't have had/ the chance to do so!**_

" **I'LL CUT THROUGH YOUR ARGUMENT!"**

"You did have a chance to do so. When you went out this morning, probably to get to the crime scene before anyone else did, you ran into Hanako, who was standing guard. After the morning announcement, you went with her, Homura and Toshiya to the cafeteria. There, you excused yourself to go to the toilet. I bet that was the moment when you could run to the rooftop and undo the knots. And that's when Toshiya heard the sound." I explain to him.

Hanako lightens up in recognition. "Yeah, that's right! I was wondering where you had gone off to, but I just thought you were still peeing. Should have seen that as suspicious, considering guys don't take that long to pee…"

Isamu quickly takes over the conversation, flushing red. "Well, that does leave quite the window of time open."

Tomoe nods. "And I'm betting when everyone split up to search for those two, you took your chance to mess up the crime scene even further. That's why you were running so hard. Bet you didn't get many chances though, Hanako and Yurika were right on your tail."

But Masato doesn't budge. "N-no, this can't be…it can't…she can't be…I'll prove it!"

… _I'm sorry…_

 **NON-STOP DEBATE!**

-  
Bullet: Yuyami's account  
-

 **Masato:** _She can't be the killer_.

 **Masato:** She can't…

 **Isamu:** What's your evidence?

 **Masato:** S-she… _ **couldn't have bumped into Yoru**_.

 **Masato:** S-so she _couldn't have known where to go_ …

 **Masato:** Please…believe me…

 **Masato:** Just vote me already!

" **NO, THAT'S WRONG!"**

"I'm so sorry Masato…but your own words contradict your statement. You said you and Kikoi were patrolling the dorms. Yuyami said he bumped into you and got escorted back before 1 am. It's very much possible Kikoi ran into Yoru while you were distracted with him."

He barely reacts to my words. At this point, tears are streaming down his face. But I don't plan on letting tears break my stance. "In fact, Yuyami said he saw you walking out. If he didn't see Kikoi with you, then I'm pretty sure she was already gone by the time you left."

"Heh, didn't think I'd actually get my chance to be useful for once." Yuyami laughs.

"Kikoi…can't be it…"

Rea rolls her eyes. "Jeez, you're starting to sound like a broken record. Bring some actual arguments to the table or step down. You're just leading us down in boring circles."

For a moment, he freezes up, but then, his resolves had become twice as strong. "The glass! You said they were from a pair of glasses, but Kikoi doesn't wear glasses! Otherwise you would have seen them! Therefor, she couldn't be the killer!"

Homura snorts. "Hate to break it to ya, but contacts exist. Hell, I'm wearing color contacts right now. Who's to say she isn't?"

"Because if so, why didn't her box fall out instead of her glasses!? Why would she bring glasses with her anyways!? Don't you think you would have seen her messing with her eyes at some point?! Don't you think she'd have a lazy day and wear her glasses here? Wouldn't any of you have figured that out before?"

There is a moment of silence as possibilities run through my head. I'm almost about to say something when-

"Reading glasses."

I look to my right to see Toshiya leaning weakly against the stand. "Kikoi wears reading glasses. When Noriko was handing out the patrol route last night, she made you read it. When we were passing down Yoru's note, she was holding it at an armlengths distance, as opposed to just reading it normally. And if she bumped into Yoru and his note dropped to the floor, she would have had enough distance to read the two most important words. And if she lost her glasses, she may not have immediately noticed it."

"Glad to see you up and standing." Ekorin quips. Toshiya smiles weakly at her. "The amount of blood wasn't so bad this time."

But this information seems to have shut up Masato. I look at Kikoi. She is crying, trying to get words out but failing, sending her into a slight panic.

"Kikoi. Please, confirm this. End it. I know you can do this. I believe in you."

"LIAR!"

My attention is suddenly pulled away by Masato, who is looking far more enraged than ever. His determination to win is so great, it makes him feel like a boss in a video game.

"LIARS, ALL OF YOU! KIKOI DIDN'T DO IT! SHE IS INNOCENT!"

"With all due respect, but I think-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" He yells at Isamu. "ARE YOU ALL BLIND!? KIKOI. DIDN'T. DO IT! YOU SAID SHE HAD TO BE WEARING GLASSES, BUT IF THAT'S SO, THEN WHERE ARE THEY!? YOU ARE ALL JUST LIARS AND MONSTERS TRYING TO HURT HER! BUT I WILL PROTECT HER!"

… _Looks like he is too far gone to be brought down with any kind of reasoning. But, I need to break through with him. If I can't find a way to bring him to his senses, we can't continue on. For the sake of everyone here…I will fight you!_

 **PANIC TALK ACTION!**

"Kikoi is innocent!" "Why aren't you getting that!?" "I am the real murderer!" "Vote me up already!" "I am a monster!" "Just let me protect her!" "Kikoi is innocent!" "Why aren't you getting that!?" "I am the real murderer!" "Vote me up already!" "I am a monster!" "Just let me protect her!" "Kikoi is innocent!" "Why aren't you getting that!?" "I am the real murderer!" "Vote me up already!" "I am a monster!" "Just let me protect her!" "Kikoi is innocent!" "Why aren't you getting that!?" "I am the real murderer!" "Vote me up already!" "I am a monster!" "Just let me protect her!" "Kikoi is innocent!" "Why aren't you getting that!?" "I am the real murderer!" "Vote me up already!" "I am a monster!" "Just let me protect her!" "Kikoi is innocent!" "Why aren't you getting that!?" "I am the real murderer!" "Vote me up already!" "I am a monster!" "Just let me protect her!"

" **If her glasses were on the crime scene, then why can't be find them!?"**

 **BECAUSE YOU HAVE THEM!**

He screams, and it's over.

"It's true, we can't find the actual glasses. But the glass proves they must have been there at one point. The only logical conclusion is that you have them, either in your huge pockets or in your room. So, if Kikoi is really innocent, I'm sure you don't mind a body- and room search, do you?"

Masato only stutters as he breaks down on the spot. Tomoe cracks his knuckles and begins to step towards him, but Rea steps in, shaking her head.

"N-no…I refuse to believe it…I can't…"

"MASATO STOP IT!"

All eyes turn to Kikoi, who despite her tears, is finally looking calm and confident enough to speak up for herself. "That's enough Masato. I'm very touched you want to protect me…but…it's over. So, please, instead of protecting me, give me the chance to be my own hero."

She shaky smile she gives us is full of sadness, but courage as well. "Everyone, I am the true killer in this case. I killed Ainosuke…because I wanted to protect everyone. I guess that didn't go so well. I was in tears after I realized what I had done, so I told the one person I could fully trust with this information: Masato. I didn't know he would go to such lengths to cover up my crime, and if it weren't for my cowardly silence, I would have spoken up much earlier. I'm sorry I caused you all this trouble."

She bows, and it feels like all the pieces finally connect. Only Masato is still gripping the stand, repeating words over and over. Noticing this, Kikoi turns to me.

"Hey, Yurika, you have been the one to get us this far. Can you do me a favor and…summarize the case? To make sure there is no more hole in the story left and we can finally put this behind us."

 _I think she means with 'us' herself and Masato. But…how can I refuse such a request?_

I nod, and her smile is heartbreaking. I let the events play out through my head, until…

" **HERE IS EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED!"**

"Last night, to combat our paranoia over Monokuma's motive, Noriko created a patrol group to make we'd sleep safely. Five people volunteered to join her, but one had far more sinister motives…

During the night, Ainosuke convinced Hanako be more relaxed over her route, so he could have the hallway to himself, so he wouldn't be interrupted. Inside the storage room, he made two wooden stakes out of the brooms with a pocketknife he bought from the Kumachrome shop. When he was done, he snuck to the classroom. There, he swapped the ropes that held up the broken window for longer ropes he had tied to two grappling guns, which he had bought too.

And now for the tricky part…he shot the two hooks up the roof, where they got stuck. Once he was certain they were secure, he glued the wooden stakes the window. After he was done, all he had to do was run to the rooftop and wait for his victim to come…

Around midnight, Yoru went outside his room to head for the rooftop. He had found a note in his room, summoning him there. Unfortunately, he happened to run into someone and temporarily blind by the flashlight, he dropped the note. That person, noticing what it said, realized what was about to happen. Needing to protect him, they ran ahead before Yoru could get up.

They soon reach the school building, but without a lock, that person was forced to steal a pole from the storage room to block the entrance. They locked themselves inside the staircase, but determined to keep any murders from happening, they ascended.

Both must have been surprised when they saw each other on the rooftop. That person did not expect Ainosuke to be there and he did not expect for someone other than his intended victim to show. After that, a struggle most likely occurred. I don't know who initiated it. But the end result is the same. During the struggle, Ainosuke was driven to the edge of the rooftop…and fell down, right into his trap.

That person, shocked at what happened, felt the need to talk about it with someone. That someone was the person they trusted the most: Masato. But after hearing it, Masato decided to ensure they couldn't be pinpointed as the murderer. So, that morning, he untied the ropes that held up the body and stole a pair of glasses from the crime scene, knowing it would be tied to them. And there is only one person who he would protect…one person who could have been involved like this.

 **KIKOI SHICHO, THE EVIDENCE POINTS TO YOU!"**

I'm slightly shaking, but I still point my finger at her. Slowly, I lower my hand. "That should be everything. Unless someone has found a hole or more evidence to discuss?"

It's silent. But then, people shake their heads. "I have nothing to add." Isamu simply says.

"You did a great job making everything clear." Hanako compliments me.

"I think we all have come to our conclusion." Mizuki says. Her words haven't even fully left her mouth when Monokuma interrupts again.

"Well then! If everyone is finally done arguing, let's get to the voting time! Everyone, please use the screen in front of you to vote for someone. And make triple sure you vote for someone, because those who don't might risk angering me…"

"Fucking hell…" Yuyami swears. "We are not even given a choice here."

Noriko's words are barely hearable. "I'm so sorry Kikoi…"

I hang my head low, unable to bear all of the pressure and painfulness for much longer. Suddenly, I see that a slice of wood on my stand slides away to reveal a touchscreen. Sixteen names are plastered on it, one being greyed out.

"Just press the name of the guilty party. Don't take too long." Kumachrome grumbles.

It's hard, knowing I'm going to sent someone to their death, but I press Kikoi's name anyways. As I look up, I see Masato standing with a small smile. "I…won't…"

But before I can start to realize what he means, Kikoi jumps over her stand, rushes to Masato's and touches his screen. He gives out a gasp of heartbreak, looking at her confused. But Kikoi seems more determined than ever.

"I won't let you die for me."

And at last, he finally breaks. His sobs echo through the courtroom. He isn't the only one.

"Ugh, leave the sentimental stuff for after the trial, will ya!?" Monokuma yells. "Whatever, I can't stay mad when all the results are in! The spotless face against the blackened! Who will win? Who will lose? Will you make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one? Now, let's see who you guys chose!"

The television screen is lowered again, but this time, it's to display a roulette with sixteen sides, each with a different colour. Like before, Ainosuke's name is greyed out. The roulette starts spinning…and spinning…until it lands on one face.

Kikoi's.

Confetti flies, but there is nothing to celebrate.

 **CLASS TRIAL END**

* * *

 **A few words about this trial: First of all, now that I look in my document manager and see the words count, I'm surprised the trial isn't longer, because it took a good chuck of my chapter. I expected to have three chapters for the trial, but I guess I just have long chapters. Hell, I even went back and edited out some things because I thought things would drag on for too long otherwise, hench the Connecting Clues minigame, which I wanted to use to wrap up some loose ends all at once. I'm not sure if this minigame will return in the future.**

 **Second of all, I'm not entirely proud of how this played out. I feel I took too many liberties with physics to make this trial believable and too complicated for people to figure it out. The formatting itself, I love. I really wanted to implimend the minigames into the story as much as possible, like many others. I couldn't fit in all minigames, oh course, so I went for the ones that played out the most smoothly in regards to the writing.**

 **However, I'm not entirely disappointed. For my first trial, I think I did pretty well. The largest difficulties I had with this trial was playing out the mystery in a way that made sense but didn't reveal too much at once, and giving the characters enough screen time while keeping it interesting to read. I hope I managed that to accomplish that. I think future trials will go smoother for me, because I now have experience writing them and because there will be less characters to focus on...**


	12. Chapter 1 End

**Time to back to my slow updates again.**

* * *

 **CLASS TRIAL END**

"Upupu…looks like you guys…are correct! The cruel killer of Ainosuke Nakamura is none other than Kikoi Shicho! Oh man, to think you guys almost voted wrong…"

There is nothing but silence, until Noriko finally cracks. "Kikoi, why did you go? Why didn't you just stay down there?"

Kikoi hugs herself. "Because…I wanted to protect everyone…even from becoming a murderer. I thought that…maybe I could talk him down. But…it didn't go as planned."

Isamu almost chokes on his breath. "Are you saying you were that stupid to think you could talk down someone who was planning to murder?"

She flinches but doesn't speak up. Someone else does, however.

"Her other option was to stay by the door and risk being enclosed in a small space with someone with murderous intent, if Ainosuke decided to go down. He could have still had that pocketknife with him, remember?" Shinri points out. "Not to mention, it's not fair to compare a to murder-driven teenager to an experienced serial killer. For all we know, talking it out may just have helped prevent a murder."

Mizuki nods. "Shinri has a good point. If she hadn't gone up, she'd possibly end up on the receiving end of a pocketknife. If she hadn't gone in the first place, we would have been on trial for Yoru's murder. Basically, the moment Ainosuke decided to kill, he doomed everyone."

Yuyami scratches his head. "Speaking off, where the hell did the pocketknife get to? You'd think he'd keep it on him for threatening peeps."

Kikoi looks at the ground. "I took it with me…after I threw him off."

Homura blinks. "Hold up, did you say 'throw' him off?"

She doesn't answer. But something clicks in my mind. "Kikoi, did you…accidentally flip him off the rooftop?"

"…He suddenly attacked me, and I got scared. So, I acted on reflex. I didn't even realize what I was doing until I heard a 'yelp' and a clang…and then it was already too late."

"His arm must have hit the railing when you flipped him. That's why it's so bruised." Hanako mutters in terror.

Kikoi's tears haven't stopped and she isn't making any attempt to hide them. "I'm so sorry everyone…I wanted to protect you, but I only ended up killing someone. I'm such an idiot."

Yoru immediately rushes forward. "No, don't say that! You saved my life! If you hadn't prevented me from going up…"

"But I should have confessed much earlier instead of making everyone go through this! I'm a coward!"

Ekorin immediately shushes her. "You were scared…I'd be too in your situation. Besides, we figured it out anyways. There is nothing to apologize for."

Yuyami tries to laugh. "Yeah, and we learnt a lot about ourselves today. Like how Yurika is surprisingly good at solving mysteries with weird theories."

"…You're not gonna let the window thing go, are you?"

"Nope."

 _Figures…Hope I don't get a reputation for this._

Tomoe crosses his arms. "Why the fuck did Ainosuke decide it was a good idea to kill someone though?"

"It must have something to do with the motive." Toshiya muses.

 _I guess we might never know…_

"I am glad you guys asked!"

… _Or Monokuma will just tell us._

The black-and-white bear makes himself comfortable on his throne. "Listen up children, because it's story-time! Once upon a time, there was a boy with no love in his life. The only love he saw was that outside. Naturally, because it was such a strange concept to him, he became intrigued. One thing let to another, and he became a renowned matchmaker. But unfortunately, he could never find love himself. Not that no one was interested in him, far from it. But strange enough, he could never harbour the feelings others had for each other. It frustrated him. "Why can't I find love like everyone else? I'm a matchmaker, why can't I find a perfect match for myself? Am I broken?" It didn't help that in his work, he was constantly surrounded by people who kept asking him when he was going to have a girlfriend. All of those cropped up feeling, oh they need an outlet. And things got out of hand when he went to a club one night…"

 _This isn't going well…_

"A girl around his age decided he was cute and flirted with him. Alcohol became involved and he was invited to the girl's home…oh, the horror! The hormones! The wish to be like everyone else! The alcohol! And just as the girl was opting out…"

A chill goes down my spine. And looking at the other girls, I can see they agree with me.

"It's a shame he wouldn't remember much of that night, but just enough to realize what kind of horrible thing he had done to her. So, he did what every cowardly guy would do: make a run for it. Unfortunately, it just so happened the father was a private detective…and not happy with what happened. Soon enough, he was arrested and placed in custody, where he would wait until he would go to trial. To his surprise, the girl visited him. He felt awful and guilty and after hearing his case would be classified to the public, he decided to better himself. He would go through rehabilitation and prove to her how much he learnt from her mistake. But then the vile and monstrous Monokuma announced his crimes would go public. He had already ruined so much, he couldn't let the poor girl's reputation be ruined as well…"

Kikoi swallows. "S-so that's why he said…"

Isamu turns to look at her. "What? You talked to him?"

She hesitates, but then nods. "Before he attacked me…"

-Flashback—

 _Kikoi opened the door to the rooftop, not entirely sure who to expect. She didn't expect seeing Ainosuke there. "You? But why?"_

 _Ainosuke seemed obviously caught off guard, but he kept on an innocent smile. "Kikoi, why are you here? I thought the dormitory was your route?"_

 _She wouldn't fall for his lies. "I know you're planning to kill Yoru. I saw the note."_

" _I'm afraid…"_

 _Kikoi had always been uncomfortable with speaking, but this time, she would stand her ground. "The note said to specifically come to this place around this time. A place where the two of you would be all alone. The perfect place to commit a murder. But Yoru won't come. I blocked off the entrance."_

 _Ainosuke stiffened at her words. Kikoi's eyes softened. "Ainosuke, you don't have to do this. There are other ways. Please, don't make a mistake and offer up someone_ _'s_ _life. We can find another-."_

" _No."_

" _Huh?"_

" _I-I need to do this…I have to do this! I can't let the world know what I did! What she has been through!"_

" _Aino-"_

" _Stop it! I need to get out! I need to properly apologize to her! I already fucked up her life, I can't let the rest of the world blame her for my mistakes! I need to set things right again! And if that means killing someone here to do it…"_

 _His hand slipped in his pocket and his took out the pocketknife. Kikoi's eyes widened as he clicked open the knife._

" _THEN I GLADLY WILL!"_

 _He stormed at her, swinging his knife. Before she knew what was happening, she ducked under his arm, jumping into a roll. He missed, only cutting air. He turned around, wild fury in his eyes. He stormed at her again, this time aiming to stab her. But Kikoi's reflexes were faster. Her immediate reaction was to grab and twist his arm. His knife clattered to the ground. Her foot slid out…_

…

… _CLANG! "Ah!"_

 _Her hands let go. She watched as Ainosuke disappeared over the railing. Her hand shot out to him, her upper body tried to follow him…but she only grabbed air. She was only truly snapped out of her trance when she heard a loud crash. As she realized what happened, she immediately fumbled in her jacket, not even realizing her glasses were falling out. She turned on the flashlight…and recoiled when she saw him._

 _If his eyes were open, he would have stared right at her. Blood was gushing from his back, dripping on the ground below._

 _She stepped back, terror flooding her veins as crashed to the ground. For a few moment, the only sound on that rooftop were her sobs and sorry's._

 _Eventually, she stood up, knowing that staying there wouldn't do her any good. She grabbed the flashlight and the pocketknife and headed downstairs. She had to tell someone. And she knew exactly who._

-Flashback—

Yuyami winches. "Damn. I feel lucky I only fell onto a table."

Mizuki sniffs loudly. "He got what he deserved. He made stupid mistakes and he faced the consequences."

Ekorin hugs herself. "I didn't think a guy like him would have done such a thing…"

"But he clearly wanted to change. It's not fair to hold that against him." Noriko argues.

"That doesn't erase what he has done!" Hanako responds, her tone uncharacteristically cold.

Tomoe frowns. "But he clearly made efforts to pay for what he has done. Most guys I know would just brag about it."

"Yeah, like deciding to kill someone for it is much better." Homura drawls.

"Then what do you want? For him to let the timer pass and have the whole world know about it? Do you know how many people would ignore the context behind it and start calling her a whore? Give him a break!" Shinri yells. "What he did was awful but it's not like he got many choices here!"

Rea chuckles. "Then in a way, this scenario played out in the best way possible. The guy is dead, the crime will forever be silent and someone who wants to sacrifice herself for others gets to act out on that. I don't know what you guys are complaining about."

In a way, she is right. And I hate it. But right now, Rea doesn't matter. Hell, Ainosuke doesn't matter either. Because Masato has just taken Kikoi in his arms.

"You shouldn't have done it. You should have let me."

But she refuses to cave in. "If you got everyone to vote wrong, everyone would have died, not just you. I'm touched you are willing to sacrifice yourself for me…but did you consider the lives of the others? Did you consider that I don't want everyone dead because of this?"

He bites his lips. "I…"

"Aww, how touching. It's kind of unfair how everyone gets to know Ainosuke's dirty deeds, while you just get the play the innocent couple." Monokuma drawls. "So, let's reflect on your crimes, shall we? Ahem, the felony that Masato and Kikoi committed is: attempted murder!"

Isamu's glare is colder than ever as he directs it at Masato. "So this wasn't even the first time you were involved with murder."

Masato wants to say something, but Monokuma shuts him up. "Hey, I wasn't done talking yet! Let's give this crime a bit of backstory, shall we? Once there was a boy and a girl, living together as the best of friends. The girl, a shy person and the boy, who just left his village to explore the world. They lived at the girl's house. One day, the parents left to travel and left them in the hands of caretaker and trainers. After all, the girl needed to keep her body athletic! One of them was a personal trainer. One who liked to get…touchy."

Another chill is sent up my spine and I can feel where this is going.

"Despite the girl's attempts to tell him off, he continued. And it got worse…and worse…and worse. The girl didn't want to call her parents from out of the country, but it inevitably became unbearable for her. So, one day, she confided in her friend. The boy was furious. He attempted to threaten the trainer, but all he got was a beating. She tried to get him fired, but no one would believe her. And thus, they made up a plan one day. The girl invited him to the aquarium one day, where the boy was taking an internship. They got behind the scenes, managed to get all witnesses away…and pushed him into the shark tank."

There is a gasp, but I don't bother to check who it's from.

"Unfortunately, the workers quickly caught on what was happening and saved him before he could be eaten. The trainer sued though and the two got arrested for attempted murder. All while the trainer went free…"

"Fucking hell…" Homura mutters.

"Eaten by sharks. Now that is one way to die." Rea grins.

"It's always the horrendous people who go free." Hanako frowns. "It's unfair."

"Weren't you just saying…" Isamu tries, before realizing that arguing with Hanako isn't that good of an idea.

"No one would do anything…I had to get rid of him before he would…" Masato begins.

"No, there were other ways we could have solved this. He was awful but that doesn't excuse our actions…" Kikoi cries. "In the end…I'm just a filthy murderer."

And she continues to cry, Masato holding her, while the rest of us are left to process all of these grey motives.

"Well…this is getting pretty boring. If you guys are done discussing murders and crimes and shifting the blame to each other like playing hot potato, then it's finally time for the moment I've been waiting for: the execution!"

I feel like I've been struck by lightning. "Wait! This wasn't an intentional murder! You can't execute her for that!"

"The highest crime she could have committed was involuntary manslaughter, that does not warrant a death sentence!" Isamu speaks up to my surprise.

"It does in this place! Doesn't matter if murder was your intention, if you kill, you are a blackened!" Monokuma grins. "And you all know the rules…"

"Fuck the rules! I'm not letting you kill her!" Homura screams, running up to stand in front of Kikoi, Hanako at her side. Tomoe quickly acts as well, shielding them from sight with his body as he stares Monokuma down.

"I will protect them."

But Monokuma merely chuckles. "Aww, how sweet of you to defend a murderer. But, as much as I'd like to punish you, there is only one candidate deserving of death."

I've never seen anyone so passionate about defending someone, but here I am, witnessing everyone shouting in protest.

"Don't kill her, please!" Yoru cries.

"Stop it!" Noriko adds, at the point of falling to her knees.

"That's it, I'm punching you in the face!" Hanako yells. But just as she is about to take a step forward…

"Everyone, stop!"

We all freeze and turn to look at Kikoi, barely standing straight. "Please, don't sacrifice yourself for me. I know it's unfair but facing Monokuma isn't going to change his judgement. I've already accepted my fate…so I only want you to accept it as well."

Masato's voice breaks as he calls to her. "Kikoi…"

Despite her clear fear, she chuckles. "I'm so selfish…but please, hear my final wish. I couldn't keep my promise of protecting everyone. So please, keep it in my stead. Protect each other. Make sure this will never have to happen again. And…never lose sight of what is right."

Her words strike a chord with me. With everyone. But I cannot bring out a word. I can only nod. But she seems satisfied with the answer anyways.

"Kikoi…"

She turns back to him. "Masato…I'm sorry everything turned out like this. I wish I could revert time to make this never happened. To stop you…both times."

Monokuma cuts through the final conversation as he cheerfully raises his arms. "Now, I've have prepared a very special punishment for Kikoi Shicho, the Ultimate Stuntwoman!"

But the two pay him no mind. Masato holds her even closer as tears stream down his face. "I don't want you to go. I can't let you go. I need you with me. So please, stay with me. Stay with me…"

"Masato…I-I…"

"Let's give it everything we got! It's PUNISHMENT TIME!"

"STAY WITH MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

 **GAME OVER**

 **Kikoi Shicho has been found guilty**

 **Time for the punishment!**

The room is silent, everyone waiting for whatever will happen. Masato holds onto Kikoi, she presses herself against his chest, fearful of leaving him. The rattling of chains is heard too late, as a metal collar on a chain shoots out and clamps itself around her neck. With one firm pull, she is ripped away. They reach out for each other, but their fingers don't even touch as she is pulled into another room.

When the chain finally lets her go, she slowly stands up to see herself on a giant treadmill, walls keeping her from jumping off. Blades, arrow holes, pendulum blades, everything you'd find in a boobytrap filled corridor appears on the path before her. There is a noise behind her and as she turns around, she sees there is an army of Monokumas behind her, dressed like savages and wielding primal weapons.

The message is simple. Run…and survive. The machines spring to life, the tread begins moving, the Monokumas start running. It's now or never. Kikoi takes a deep breath, letting all her knowledge from her action movie come back to her…and throws off her jacket.

 _I will live!_

 **Take four, action!**

She starts running and its clear she's in her element. With an almost majestic jump, she launches herself between two incoming buzz saws, leaving them to cut through air. Spears shoot out, but she is faster. Flamethrowers only serve to make her look even cooler. With a confident smile, Kikoi looks ahead at the bright light at the end.

Her foot gets briefly stuck behind a spear and it's enough to throw her off balance. Before she can start to recollect herself, the traps punish her for her overconfidence. Arrows are fired and latch into her arm and leg. Spikes shoot out, piercing one of her feet. A pendulum blade strikes one of her shoulders. She bites down, but she is visibly in pain. With gritting teeth, she moves forward, towards the light. Suddenly, a person appears, its silhouette showing baggy pants and rainboots.

Realizing who it is, Kikoi is stunned for a moment, but then the determined fire in her eyes returns with a vengeance. With a mighty pull, she rips one of the arrows out of her leg and starts sprinting. The pain and the wounds aren't enough to hold her back, neither is the increasing speed of the tread or the traps. She jumps, she dodges, she rolls, she even blocks as she comes closer and closer. With one last jump, she finally reaches for Masa-

…

…

…

She freezes in place.

The body hanging on a chain by the neck isn't Masato, despite the identical looking clothes he is dressed in. But despite his face being obscured, it's easy to tell who it is from the pink streak in his black hair.

Kikoi's eyes fill with tears as she looks at the corpse behind the glass that separates the two of them. She looks at her hands, the same hands that ended his life. Her body can't take it anymore. Her legs give out beneath her and she buries her head in her hands as she silently mourns…

All of the sudden, a metal collar binds her arms to her chest and the chain pulls her back again. She screams as she is dragged away from the body, right back to the start. Her body slams into a wall and her head falls back onto its edge. Another metal collar secures her neck in place. She blinks in confusion, tugging helplessly at the restrains.

A black beam comes falling down, and Kikoi screams loudly as she realizes what's happening. It's all useless though. The beam crashes onto her head, crushing it like a watermelon. Her body twitches for a few moments, before it comes still.

The camera pulls away from the giant film clipboard, stained with blood, as the end credits roll. Kikoi's last performance, ironically starring the stuntwoman as the main character in the last moments of her life.

* * *

Despite my stomach feeling like it's not going to last, I can't tear my eyes away from the screen. Kikoi's lifeless body…looks even more alien than Ainosuke's death. It's probably because now, I saw her life being taken with my own two eyes, as opposed to just seeing the body.

Yoru screams loudly and it feels like a spell is broken. Shouts and cries of horror sounds through the group, one more intense than the other. A thud near me confirms Toshiya has fainted, again.

"Wh-what?" Mizuki croaks, her hands going up to her mouth. The sheer brutality of this…execution finally broke her cold stance.

"Oh my god, what the fuck! No, seriously, what the fuck! This is so fucked up! Why would anyone think of this!?" Homura yells, fear mixing with the strong swear words.

"Oh fuck…" Shinri mutters, before diving behind his stand.

"Don't you dare fucking puke." Kumachrome growls. "Because I'm the one who will have to clean it up."

His brother is much more excited. "Woohoo! Extreme! Ah, this feels so great, so exhilarating, I'm totally pumped up for the next murder!"

Hanako rushes over to Shinri and pats his back as he empties the content of his stomach on the floor. Yuyami screams loudly as he rushes to the elevator doors. "The fuck!? This isn't funny! Let me out of here!"

Isamu, paler than ever, seems to shake. "S-so, this is what happens when…"

"Yup, yup! This is what happens when you fail. You get executed. So, I'd advise you to keep this in mind for the next murder. Wouldn't want this to happen to ya, do ya?" Monokuma chuckles darkly.

Noriko has none of it. "Then why did you show her Ainosuke's dead body before killing her? Or use a film clipboard in general? Why do such unnecessary things when you just could have electrocuted her with an electric chair? Or use the gallows to hang her if you're so cruel?"

Monokuma tilts his head like a curious bird. "Unnecessary? No, no, you have it completely wrong. This method of execution is necessary…"

His slashed eye glows a sinister red.

"…When you want to give someone the most despair-filled death they could have."

Noriko steps back, eyes wide in fear. "T-that's so awful!"

"So, is that really your motivation for doing all of this?" Rea asks. "Just despair? Man, and here I thought you had much more complex motives. Boring. Oh well, psychos are pretty fun while they last, so, I'm not complaining."

"Hmm, ignoring that comment about my motives, I think I'm starting to like you. You're a smart cookie and very entertaining."

Rea giggles. "It seems we are on even grounds then."

Ekorin steps back as she looks in bewilderment at Rea. "You are an horrific person. Do you have no respect for the deceased?"

Rea merely shrugs. "The dead are dead, and no tears are going to bring them back. I don't see any reason to care. Especially since the game is far from over."

Tomoe cracks his knuckles. "That's enough of you today. It's time you shut up and let the rest mourn in peace."

The strategist sighs. "Fine, fine, I will keep quiet. It may not change things, but if it makes you feel better, feel free to ignore me."

She walks away to take a better look at the throne Monokuma is seated in.

"Ki…KIKOOOOOOOOIIIIIIII!"

With a scream, Masato barges into the execution room and heads straight for Kikoi's body. Tomoe swears and sprints after him. The rest of us follow like sheep.

Masato crashes down in front of Kikoi, clutching her legs and crying out her name as if it will magically bring her back. It doesn't and the only thing it accomplishes is that I now have to see her mangled body from up close.

Yuyami gently tries to tug Masato away. "Shh, come on, you're stronger than this…"

Homura groans. "Fucking hell…what are we gonna do?"

Isamu doesn't meet her eyes. "Let him be until he has calmed down enough. Then we'll take him to his room."

"I seriously doubt leaving him alone is a great idea." Mizuki objects. "We should have one of the boys staying with him in case he tries something dangerous."

Yoru speaks up with a shaky voice. "T-then I will!"

Yuyami winches. "Doubts it's a good idea to room with the guy whose girlfriend got killed protecting you. Might shift the blame onto you. That's why I'll pass for tonight too. And Toshiya. Maybe when Shinri's stomach calmed down he is willing to stay with him? Or Tomoe? Or Isamu?"

"Pass." Isamu says far too quickly.

Ekorin is shaking on her legs. "I don't think I'm lasting for much longer. Shall we make our leave?"

But leaving right now feel wrong to me, as if we're rushing this. "No, let's…let's wait for a little while until we're all over the shock."

Noriko anxiously plays with the blue cap on her head. "R-right, Tomoe, when we're done here, can you ask Shinri if he is willing to stay with Masato? And if not, do you mind taking his place?"

Tomoe sighs loudly, but nods anyways.

"Hold up." I call to Tomoe. He turns around. "Can you also pick up Toshiya's body and place him in his room? I don't think he is going to be waking up anytime soon."

"Sure, sure." He grumbles.

A few people leave the execution room with him, but I can't force my legs to move. I feel hollow inside, as if my insides have been scooped out, leaving me with nothing. _Is…this what it feels like to lose someone you care about?_ I can't help but wonder.

Knowing my stomach wouldn't be able to see Kikoi's body again, I divert my attention to the rather impressively made execution room itself. _How did he manage to set everything up so perfectly?_

A spot of black catches my eye. When I come closer, I realize it's Kikoi's leather jacket. It's a bit torn up around the edge, but it looks otherwise in perfect condition. I can't convince myself to leave it there and pick it up. _Maybe I should give this to Masato later…_

When I turn back, I see Yuyami and Noriko carefully guiding Masato away from the body and back to the others.

… _Maybe after he's calmed down a bit._

Silently, I follow the others, the jacket wrapped up like a bundle in my arms. I see people look at it, but everyone apparently decides not to question it.

The ride back up feels claustrophobic. The only sounds are Masato's sobs of sorrow. My legs feel heavy. I want to go back to my room and sleep.

When we finally arrive, everyone seems to have the same idea as me. Tomoe has an unconscious Toshiya on his back and an arm around Masato. _Looks like Shinri passed as well._

Without a word, I open the door to my dorm. When the lock clicks in place, I sigh deeply and sink to my knees.

 _How did I get dragged into this? What did I ever do to deserve this? Damn…I guess that in the end, I did do a lot better than I was expecting. And I did manage to survive. But poor Kikoi…_

Despite not wanting to move an inch, I'm not sleep-deprived enough to rest on the floor. And thus, with all the necessary effort, I haul myself towards my bed. As I roll into the sheets, the jacket ends up around me. I carefully take it off.

As I trace my fingers over the leather texture, tears drip onto it. My frustrations, my fear, my confusion, it's all melting together in one huge chunk of emotions.

 _Why? Why do I have to play a game like this? Why is everyone trapped in this thing? Who is doing this? Why did they have to kill Kikoi? Why did they have to trick Ainosuke into murder? It can't be just despair, can it? And, if despair is their only motivation…_

My hands are shaking as I lift my head towards the security camera.

… _Then what will be their next move?_

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

 **The Crow Cries When the Swan Stops Singing**

 **Surviving Students: 14/16**

 **END**


	13. Chapter 1 Omake I

**You thought this chapter was over? Nah fam, I got lost Fte's to show.**

 **FYI an omake is a short 4-panel strip in manga and it's used as a bonus. I felt like it would only be right to give my two poor vict- I mean characters a proper farewell by showing their Fte's. So, please enjoy Ainosuke's Fte's.**

* * *

 **Free Time Events Unlocked!**

* * *

It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining, everyone is walking around and…and…and…and…and...and…

No one is dead yet.

 _Hm? What…what was I doing?_

…

 _Doesn't matter. I should probably socialize with people while they're still alive._

Despite my doubts and the for some reason growing confusion in my chest, my legs direct me to the Kumachrome shop. He doesn't even look up from his book as I walk past him, straight for the vending machine. I put in a coin and turn the knob.

A tube of eyeliner falls out.

 _Well, there are some girls who look like they might appreciate eyeliner. Although, I guess Ainosuke uses make-up too. Maybe I should see if he likes it._

I find him cross legged on the grass, enjoying the sun. A gust of wind blows the hair from his eyes. He turns his head towards me when he hears me approach.

"My, good morning Yurika. Wish to join me?"

I only nod and sit down next to him. The sun is strangely pleasant, washing away doubts and nightmares and…

Other things.

I lean back and let the warmth comfort me. It's like a warm blanket, telling me it's alright. I almost drift to sleep when the eyeliner in my pocket rolls out.

 _Oh yeah, I guess I should give it to him._

He looks puzzled when I lazily hand the eyeliner to him. "Oh? A gift? Why thank you, I'm sure I can use this."

 _Score!_

We continue to relax in the sun. Out of nowhere, a curious question appears in my head, one that should have had an answer, but didn't. "Why did you decide to match make people?"

He remains silent. I can only guess it's a touchy subject.

"Alright, wrong question. When and why did you decide to start a blog?"

The silence continues. Just as I'm about to give up and try to change the subject…

"Because I didn't want people to become trapped in an unhappy marriage."

I look to the side. His hair is in the way, but the tone in his voice is sad. "My parents…weren't happy with each other. I guess they had me to patch up the relationship, but it only made it worse. Ever since I was little, I remember them fighting about the smallest things. Because of that, I didn't like going home. So, I tried to come and play at the other kids' homes. From there, I picked up quickly that my home wasn't the normal standard. Parents were supposed to love each other, not hate them."

Feeling uncomfortable and bad for making him talk about it, I speak up. "I'm sorry…"

To my surprise, he chuckles. "No, don't worry. It's not the end of the world or anything. Besides, my parents split up a few years ago. Guess they couldn't handle me on top of their relationship. If there was one thing they agreed on, it was my 'horrible' life choices."

He plays with his hair, running his finger over the pink dyed streak. "My blog, my work, my fashion choices…they hated it from the start. Asked me where they had gone wrong. I didn't have the heart to tell them it was their hate for each other that fueled me into making sure no kid would have to deal with what happened to me."

"You should have told them." I quietly say to him. "Otherwise they won't learn what they did wrong. And may end up doing the same thing again, should they want to remarry."

Again, Ainosuke chuckles. "I doubt so. These two were the first real clients I ever had…not that any of them know what I did to make sure my parents found people they were happy with."

I can't hold back a grin. "Does that mean you have four parents now? Must be fun in the 'my father can beat up your father' game."

The laugh he gives is heartily and sweet. "Haha, yeah. They marked the beginning of my job. Before, I had set up a blog, mainly to talk about ships and give relationship advice, but I found I liked it better when I actually got to see the person first hand. You notice a lot more about people that way. For example…"

He turns to look at me, a glint in his eyes. "Your stance is slouched, and you yawn pretty often, so much I don't think you even notice. When you sit down, you let your weight fall onto the chair. All of this suggest you have trouble sleeping and often make all-nighters."

I'm stunned silent from his analysis. "Wow, you're good. It's…creepy, almost."

He immediately flinches. "Oops, did I creep you out? I tend to do that, especially when I'm rambling about the beauty of true love and—"

"I get it, don't worry, at least you're aware of it."

"Thanks."

I can't help but chuckle. "So, you set up a blog about ships? Shipping got you your talent?"

He gives me a little mock-bow. "Even more so, shipping _is_ my talent. I had already given lots of relationship advice from when I was little, but, when you're young, you don't understand every part of a relationship. And indeed, my blog did start out to talk about and criticize romantic relationships in all works of fiction. In the beginning, my arguments were weak, but I learnt from other blogs and professional books about love and relations. Before I knew it, my blog blew up. I went from shipping fictional characters to answering questions from askers which anime character would suit them best to serious relationship advice. And, like I told you, I found I preferred real life contact. From there, it's all history."

The wind picks up again, blowing his hair away. "I'm happy with what I've achieved. I get to make people happy, my parents are civil with each other and I feel like I make a difference in the world. I just wish my family would be more agreeable with my choices in life, but…it doesn't matter to me anymore who approves of my life or not. I'm already making my own path and all they can do is either accept it or move on."

With a swing of his legs, he gets up and looks at me. "I am willing to change, but not what I stand for."

But I can't find it in myself to disagree. "Honestly, I think this style suits you. Don't change that."

For some reason, he blushes a little and I can't help but think it's adorable.

I think I learnt a little more about Ainosuke today.

We split up not long after, waving each other goodbyes. Rolling my stiff shoulders, I unlock the door and walk—

* * *

The sky is a bright blue and the sun is warm. With a stir, I wake up my sleep. _Hm? How long have I…when did I…whatever…_

I stand up, pat the grass off me and head for the Kumachrome shop. The shop is empty, not even Kumachrome sitting at the counter. A sign is hanging in his place, saying: "Out to lunch. Don't steal my shit."

 _Do robotic bears even eat?_

With another coin, I roll another present from the vending machine. This time, a skull ring falls out. _Ah, that's easy. I know just the person who might like this…_

I spot Ainosuke in the cafeteria, enjoying a cup of tea. I get a glass of orange juice and then sit down next to him. He raises an eyebrow, but then smiles at me. We continue to drink in silence.

 _Hm, I should give this to him._

He is pleasantly amused and surprised by the skull ring. "A gift for me? Ah, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

 _He likes it!_

I start playing with my glass a little until a question pops up. "Hey, Aino? So, you have been match making so many people, but have you ever fallen for someone yourself?"

Waiting for his answer, I run my hand through my hair. However, the answer never comes. He just remains silent, staring off into the distance.

"Ainosuke?"

"Hm, oh, sorry, what were you saying?"

I frown. "I was asking if you ever gotten a crush on someone. You meet so many people, was there never someone who tickled your fancy?"

My way of phrasing causes him to burst out in giggles. "I like that phrase. I should write that down sometimes."

 _This is starting to get annoying._

"You're avoiding the question. Again."

But to my chagrin, he turns his head away to look outside. "Hey, looks like Noriko finally got Kikoi to talk to her. I'm relieved, the poor girl is so shy, she can hardly talk to anyone but Masato. Makes me wonder if there is something more to it."

"Dude, what's up with you? You keep avoiding my questions. First of all: rude, second of all: that's not like you."

I expect him to avoid me again. But then he suddenly stands up, knocking away the chair in the progress. His glare is genuinely terrifying.

"Why are you so interested in my love life?"

 _Oh no, he didn't._

I knock away the chair as well. "Because you are always interested in the love life of others. Hell, your talent is the entire point of that! Is it that difficult to have the tables turned or something?"

"I only actively pry in the lives of others when they ask me to, or haven't you noticed I haven't asked a single thing about you or your life the entire time we've spend together?"

 _Low blow dude, low blow._

"Well, you could have communicated that! How am I supposed to know that you were waiting for me to talk about my life?"

He rolls his eyes. "Really, you're that oblivious? Guess I should indeed start making things clearer then. I. Don't. Talk. About. _My_. Love life."

"Why?" I sarcastically ask him. "Is it because you don't have one?"

To my surprise however, he just looks away. Something clicks in my head. "Wait, I was right? You've met so many people in your life and yet you haven't found a single person for yourself?"

Ainosuke looks at me, sighs deeply and nods. "It's not that easy. When I pair someone up, I always look for other people, never myself. I couldn't do that to them. Besides, I…have never met someone who I saw as more than a friend."

"No one?" I genuinely ask. "Not even a celebrity crush?"

He solemnly shakes his head. "I always thought people getting thirsty over characters or actors was a sort of joke I wasn't cued into."

"Oof, that's rough." I can't help but comment. "But, you love seeing, you know, love between other people. How does that work?"

He shifts somewhat uncomfortably. "When I saw what love _wasn't_ was, it became easier to see what love actually is. When I learnt what type of people don't go together, I started recognizing which types do match. And when I learnt what weren't signs of love, I found which signs were. It's a bit like a puzzle. A human one involving emotions. Which is why I can't figure out why I just can't muster up any romantic love for someone. I looked at all genders, tried dating a few times, but there just wasn't a click. I've never met someone who I'd want to spend the rest of my love with, or just have a one-night stand. It…confuses me…"

I keep listening, but with every words, a gear turns in my head. When his speech is finished, there is a click. On sheer impulse, I grab his wrist, almost hurting myself on his spiked wristbands and make him turn his attention to me.

"Ainosuke. Is it possible you're aro-ace?"

"…What?"

His confused expression doesn't change. I sigh.

"Is it possible you're aromantic and asexual?"

He just blinks owlishly at me. _Oh wow. A matchmaker who doesn't know about aro-ace people. What has the world come to?_

I prepare what I want to say in my head and start explaining. "There are people in the world who don't experience sexual attraction. That's asexual. They can't either dislike sex, or just don't care about it at all and prefer something else. Other people can't feel romantic attraction. They can't fall in love with people, but still form close relationships with them. Those are aromantic. From what you've told me, you seem to be both."

Minutes go by as he slowly takes in everything I've said. Bit by bit, realization dawns on him. "There are words for it." He finally whispers.

I can't help it. I have to smile. "Now you get it!"

He still seems a bit out of it though, as if he isn't really with me anymore. Impatiently, I snap my fingers in front of him. After the third time, he finally seems to snap (heh) out of it.

"Ah, uh, sorry. This is…I guess…this is a lot to take in. Eh, do you mind if we continue this talk another time? I need to think about this…"

I nod, and he walks away as he mutters to himself. _Hm. Okay then. That…was strange. I guess it must be hard suddenly learning that there is a word for your problems. But…I guess…we both learnt a bit about him today._

After he leaves the cafeteria, I don't see more reason to stay much longer. I head out, the setting sun washing over me as I head for the dormitory. As I step inside I suddenly feel like—

* * *

I decide I shouldn't spend all day inside. The morning sun greets me as I walk outside. I feel like just lying on the grass and doing nothing all day, when I suddenly see Ainosuke trudging back inside. I can't help but frown.

 _Hm? What is he up. Oh right, maybe he is still thinking about what I said last night. Maybe I should stop and see how he is doing._

After a quick run to the Kumachrome shop and a novel in my hands, I walk up to Ainosuke's dorm room. I take a deep breath and knock.

No one's coming.

I knock again.

 _Maybe he isn't in his room after all._

Just as I want to turn around and leave, the door opens. Ainosuke looks at me and then smiles. "Ah, Yurika. Did you come here for a visit?"

I awkwardly rub my arm. "I wanted to see how you were doing. You know, after our last conversation…"

His face settles into a frown as he watches me getting more and more awkward by the minute. Then, He steps aside.

"Please, do come in."

It takes me a moment to register what he just said, but then I nod and step inside.

The inside of his room is just like how I imagined it would be. The red and pink hearts clash with the dark curtains and cushions on his chair. There are multiple scent candles in the rooms, giving off a slightly sweet smell. It's very atmospheric, although my body gets confused on whether I should be feeling relaxed or uncomfortable. But at this point, I've already seen that Ainosuke really is very sweet beneath his creepy demure and expressive fashion style.

I sit down on one of the chairs, reveling in the softness of the cushions. "Remind me to get a few of those." I joke.

"You don't have cushions in your room?" His tone sounds amused.

"Nah, it's pretty basic. I have a few pillows, but they're on my bed. The only chair in my room is a bureau chair. You know, one of those spinny ones."

He chuckles, but as his laughter fades away, the awkward tension between us rises. I have enough of it and cough in my hand.

"So, eh, are you okay? Bet it must have opened your eyes."

His eyes look away, but he nods. "Yeah. It was. I spend a lot of time thinking about it. It's just…it's crazy to think that after many years of feeling broken, turns out I'm not that weird after all."

I chuckle. "You might wanna rethink that statement."

The smile he gives me is half-hearted and it soon turns back into a frown. "Damn though. This complicates things."

 _Huh?_ "How so?"

When he doesn't immediately respond, I fear another argument is coming up. But then…

"Because the crime I committed truly was for nothing, and my goal of becoming a better person has become unsure."

 _What? His…crime?_ "What…what was your crime?"

He finally sits down across from me, a sad look on his face. "Truth to be told…I was apprehensive about spending time with you. Because I felt I didn't deserve it after the atrocity I have committed. Honestly, for the things I did, I should have spent time in a real jail. But my lawyer kept going on and on about it and how I shouldn't be given up on life."

He looks up. "Then, while in custody, _she_ came to see me. She said she heard about the sentence and I told her I didn't deserve it. But she refused to let me drown in my little sob-story. I messed up, and if I really was a good person deep inside, I should take action and strife to show what I've learnt. That's what pushed me to agree with my sentence. I told her she was right and that I would use my time to shoulder the consequences of my actions and become someone she would feel comfortable hanging around again."

He takes another deep breath. "I hoped that when I got out, I could find someone to be in love with, so I can truly show how much I've changed. But if I'm both aromantic and asexual…well…what am I going to do afterwards?"

I don't immediately know the right words, but when I do, they're from the bottom of my heart. "You don't need to fall in love to be a good person. Honestly, just continue doing what you were doing before, but now as a better person. Lecture people on the errors of your ways, so they don't make the same mistake as yours."

He is silent for a moment. But then, a smile breaks through. "Thank you Yurika. You're right, it doesn't matter if I find someone in the future or not. What matters is how I treat them and the people around them."

I nod. "You're welcome."

He offers me a hand and I take it without hesitation. His grip is firm yet gentle. I may still have a lot of questions, but maybe some questions should go by unanswered. And as I look up at him, I no longer see a creepy matchmaker or an interesting person to talk to. I just see Ainosuke.

I feel our bound has deepened.

After spending a bit more time talking about the future, we part ways. I go straight to my room and open my E-Book.

" _Ainosuke's parents hated each other, which is why Ainosuke wants to matchmake the right people, so they don't get stuck in an unhappy marriage. He set up a blog about shipping and gradually started to help people with advice about love. He is happy with his life, though he would for his parents to accept his life choices."_

" _Despite being a matchmaker, Ainosuke never had a crush on other people and gets very defensive about it. He understands why and how people are in love, but never experienced himself, what confuses him. When I told him that he may be aro-ace, it was like a door opened for him. Now I hope he is okay…"_

" _Now that he knows that he isn't broken, Ainosuke seems relieved. He told me he didn't originally want to talk to me, because he felt he didn't deserve it, just like the sentence for his crime. But a girl apparently convinced him to go through with it, so he can change, and he agreed, saying he will become a better person. And I believe in him."_

I shut off the E-Book and smile. _I made a bound with someone today. I hope it stays strong for a long time._

* * *

 **Alright, so next chapter is Kikoi's Fte's, so that chapter will be longer. I'm going on break soon too so it may take longer for that chapter to come out. Enjoy your summer!**


	14. Chapter 1 Omake 2

**The last omake before we move on to chapter 2. I hope you enjoy Kikoi's Fte's.**

* * *

My eyes flutter open when something falls onto my face. It's a paper wrap. Someone probably threw it away. I wipe it off my face and yawn, shaking out my hair to get rid of loose grass.

 _That was a great nap…hm? I…can't remember what I was doing before that… Oh well, who cares. Let's see what I'm going to do now._

I feel as if I should talk to someone. However, I first need a present. So, I walk to the Kumachrome shop. Kumachrome, like usual, ignores me while reading a magazine. I put a coin in the slot machine, not even sure at this point how many I have.

A capsule falls out, I open it and see a lucky charm inside of it. It has the shape of a four leaved clover. _Hm. How should like this? I feel as if I could give it to plenty of people here._

With my new gift, I walk outside and look around. To my dismay, most people are talking. I huff as I wander around, trying to find someone who is alone and not Rea. I'm that concentrated on not wasting my gift that I almost miss Kikoi standing in one of the corners. She looks at me as if she wants to talk.

 _Well, might as well. Kikoi is pretty nice after all…_

I walk up to her and flash the most non-threatening smile I can muster. "Hey Kikoi, want to talk?"

Her eyes briefly flash down, but then she nods.

We spend the time in absolute silence.

 _Shit, this isn't working how I hoped it would work. Maybe I should try giving her that gift?_

When I hand the charm to her, she blinks in surprise. But then, she gives me a shy and thankful smile as she takes it. _Woohoo! Score one!_

And then we return to the absolute silence as I start to realize that a shy girl and an introverted nerd may not be such a good combination. _Damn, neither of us are saying a word. We're both waiting for the other to begin. Guess I'll have to be the one to break the ice._

But just as I open my mouth, Kikoi surprises me by cutting me off. "…Um…uh…nice…nice weather…it is…today…"

I blink confused for a moment, but then I decide to go along. "Yeah, it sure is…"

Just as quickly as the spark of conversation happened, it disappears. Although, Kikoi seems to be muttering to herself. _Poor thing. Has absolutely zero idea on what to do. I may be introverted but at least I know my way somewhat around words._

"Look." I tell her. "If you're more comfortable talking to Masato, it's fine. You don't have to stress yourself for all of this if you're too uncomfortable. I'm not taking it personally."

She looks at me. But then slowly, her head shakes. "No…I…I wanted…I had…I wanted to talk to…to you."

 _Huh? That's strange? She doesn't want to talk with him? Did anything happen between them?_

The words blurt out of my mouth before I can stop myself. "Are you having a fight with Masato?"

My accusation seems to have hit a cord. She frantically shakes her head with wide eyes. "No! Nothing like that! It's not…! We're not fighting!"

 _Oh jeez, way to go Yurika._

"I'm sorry!" I pretty much panic. "I was just wondering why you talk with me instead of him. He's your friend, right? I figured something must have happened if you don't want to spend time with him."

My words don't reassure her. "I-I still…! We're okay! It's just…I…well…"

She falls over her words, trying to say what she wants to say. At this point, she is pretty much grabbing her head and hyperventilating. Realizing things are getting a bit too much for her, I take a deep breath.

"Kikoi. Calm down. I'm not going to judge you for whatever you say. Take a deep breath and tell me what you want."

She still looks rather frightened at me, but then, she slowly starts to calm down. Like I told her, she takes a deep breath and stares right at me.

"I want to talk to you…to learn how to talk to other people."

 _Oh._

 _Oh!_

 _OH!_

"Of course." I pretty much smack myself for the head. "You want to talk to other people to learn how to be less shy and confront your weakness. And if you talk to Masato, you won't accomplish that."

Her head goes up and down, nodding as I understand her words. "Right!"

But one question still remains. "But why me? Why not someone else? Hanako loves company, she'd gladly talk with you. I'm rather introverted…"

"Um…well…that _is_ exactly why. You…you see…extroverted…people…they talk…well…um…a lot…so I-I don't…well…get to say anything. And then, comparing you…to other…introverts…"

 _Yeah, I bet I look pretty tame compared to Mizuki or Isamu._

"I see…" I mutter for a moment. But then, I give her a smile. "…Let's do it then. You talk and pretend I'm mute. And maybe after a while, we'll drag someone else in. Hey, how long do you bet we can annoy Mizuki before she starts insulting us?"

Despite her being a taken aback a bit, there is a mischievous spark in her eyes. A spark waiting to be ignited. I spit on my hand and extend it to her. "Promise between women?"

She returns the smile and the spit-shake. "It's a deal."

 _A stuntwoman trying to overcome her shyness by making a deal with an introverted nerd. Someone should make a movie about this. Joking aside, I think I learnt something about Kikoi today._

We agree to meet up another time, after wiping our dirty hands on our shirts. Cracking my stiff shoulders, I head back for my dorm. Just as I open the door—

* * *

I slept in again. With a sigh, I roll out of bed. I'm not even hungry. Just…bored. _I need someone to talk too…let's get a gift first…_

Getting out a bed takes a moment or two. Or three. Or five. But I eventually manage. I pull on my vest and step outside. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I enter the Kumachrome shop and head straight for the Monomachine.

When I roll in a coin, a poster of an action movie rolls out. _Alright…so this would either mean Shinri…or…_

I head out and I see Kikoi standing by the door in the dormitory. With a smile, I approach her. "Morning Kikoi. Ready for your first try?"

She nearly jumps when she hears me voice, but she calms down immediately and nods. I give her a smile and we go inside to sit at the table. A few moments of almost complete silence pass by. _Maybe I should give her a nudge. How about that gift?_

I present it to her and she immediately takes it, eyes wide with fascination. _Looks like another great match to me!_

This time, I try to remain silent while allowing Kikoi to speak. It's…a bit painful to see her struggling so much with her words.

"A-and that is…why…I…uh…um…sorry…" She looks at her feet and I can't help but pity her. "That's okay. You wanna take a break? Listen while I talk?"

She gives me a tired smile, but she shakes her head. "No…I'll…I'll be fine. Maybe…ask a question? For a long answer?"

I give her a nod. "Sure, I've got a question or two anyways."

"Fire away."

 _That I will._ "How come you're more comfortable jumping from the first floor in the dormitory than speaking to others? I know you're a stuntwoman and all, so you should be used to those things, but still…"

She bites her lip, probably wondering how to answer that. I patiently wait for her. After a while, she finally seems to have an answer. "It's…like…when you jump out of window…I just need to…I just have to, well, brace myself. And remember safety procedures…"

I nod to encourage her to go on.

"All of it…it's…I know what I need to do. But…in a conversation…you need to pay attention…to words…and emotions…say what you want and what they want to hear…think how it will affect them and you…t-there is just so much…I'm afraid of messing up…"

She shakily looks up. "If…if I mess up my stunt…only I get hurt…but if I mess up talking…I'll hurt others…"

 _Ah, I see. She is afraid of offending or hurting people. Don't see that much in this day and age._

"I-I know…it sounds weird…because it's silly, right? But…it intimidates me. What…what if I say something bad? But…my therapist…she said that if I don't talk…I'll forever be scared of speaking… I don't want that…so I need to learn how to do it…"

Understanding her struggles, I give her a soft pat on her shoulder. "I see. You want to protect people so much, you're afraid of offending them, right?"

Glad someone understands her, she nods heavily. "Indeed! Stunting is not so scary, since I know what I'm doing, but…but a conversation! That is so versatile! I don't know what I'm supposed to do! Especially meeting new people! New people are hard, you don't know their limits…"

I'm a bit taken aback by her sudden string of words. Once she realizes that, she flushes a deep red. "S-sorry! I-I…didn't give you…a chance to speak…"

It's too adorable. I snicker behind my hand. "Sounds like you need to learn to stand your ground a bit more and place yourself a little bit more over others."

Her blush doesn't go away and she keeps looking at her feet, but I see a small smile of her lips that warms my heart.

 _I think I learnt a little more about Kikoi today._

After a few more minutes of me reassuring her everything is alright, we decide to continue our session another time. I go for my dorm room again. When the door shuts behind me, I open up my E-Book.

" _The reason why Kikoi is so shy is because she is afraid of hurting others. That is why stunting doesn't feel like a big deal to her, but socializing is a huge thing for her. Talking to new people is the worst, because she doesn't know their limits."_

With that said, I close the E-Book and—

* * *

I suddenly wake up from my place in the shower. _Did…did I doze off in the freaking shower!? I need more sleep…_

But now that my hair is wet, and I can't blow it dry, I can't go back to bed again. So, I get up, turn off the warm water, dry myself off, get clothed and step outside. I go straight to the Kumachrome shop.

When I put in a coin, I get a miniature car. It's silver and pretty, but not something I'm going to keep. _Let's see who will like this gift._

I decide to try Kikoi. I find her behind the school, enjoying the shade. "Ready for the next session?" I ask when I approach her. She turns and nods.

When spend some time with our session. I think she's improving. _Maybe I should give her a reward…_

She definitely appreciates the gift, as shown by the awestruck look in her eyes. "T-thanks…"

Another day, another session. And to my delight, Kikoi is getting more comfortable around me and thus, more comfortable speaking.

"And then…well…my mom says: 'Why don't you take your leeching _el novio_ to the _fucking_ parking lot and tell him to _go fuck himself!_ "

I blink as the foreign words come out of her mouth fluidly. I recognize the English word _'fucking'_ but aside from that…

"And then she…my uh… _La T_ _ì_ _a_ …my aunt…looks over her shoulder and sees me…because, well, I was still in the room…and I was five. I-I hadn't meant to listen in, but I'm five, and…you know… S-so then, she sees me in my cute nightdress with a _Felina the Cat_ plushy and she…um…goes a white as a ghost. My mom…she turns around and sees me…with horror. And I'm just: _Mama? What does 'fucking' mean?_ "

She laughs, but she lost me. I try to laugh along, but it's not as genuine as I hoped. The moment she notices, she starts panicking. "A-ah! I should not…ah, have used such vile…strong…language…"

"No, no, it's fine." I laugh. "Given the chance I'd probably swear more than Homura."

Relaxed when hearing that, she gives me a smile. "No one…swears more than Homura."

"Ok, true, but seriously, I was just surprised how you switch so fluidly to English and…Spanish, I guess?"

Her eyes look away, slightly embarrassed. "Ah…well…that is…"

I give her a minute to form her words.

"My grandmother is from Mexico…and my mom is from America…the USA…so I'm only half Japanese…and I grew up with three…you know…languages…"

 _Damn, growing up with three languages? No wonder she slips._

I grin. "English class must be a breeze if you grew up with English."

But to my surprise, she shakes her head. "I'm actually…homeschooled."

 _Oh?_

"M-my parents…they are actors…they met on a set in Namibia. And…and after I was born…they continued to act. So…since they had to travel…a lot…I had to…come as well. I can't do that with normal school…so I take online courses."

As I can only start to imagine what it must be to have actors as parents, I grin at her. "That is so cool! Your parents, actors? Awesome! Did you learn from them?"

She merely shrugs. "No, not…really. I-I can't act well…and I'm too shy. One day however…I met a stuntman. He showed me…how to jump from a moving motorcycle…ever since then…I wanted to be an actor myself…and ride a motorcycle…"

There is a hesitant tone in her voice that tells me something. "Your parents didn't like that, right?"

"No, not at first…but then that stuntman started training me…and showing me…how to do stunts…without hurting myself… My dad later bought me…a quad…if I promised to be safe. I tried a lot of things…tricks and such… Eventually my parents came around."

Her eyes are sparkling of enthusiasm. "And now, I can do more tricks! A-and when I become 18, I'm allowed…allowed to ride a motorcycle! So right now, I'm looking…in magazines…for bikes…I want a brown and black one…I'm gonna call her _Blackbird_ …"

She continues talking, as if I'm no longer there, as if she has been waiting for someone to unleash the flow of words like a fountain on. It's heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.

"A-and my dad promised me…promised me to look…at actual…"

Her face suddenly pales, as seems to have just realized something. Her enthusiasm disappears as snow for the sun and her eyes fill themselves with misery.

"S-sorry…can we…continue another time…?"

The words have to forced out and I can clearly see she needs some time alone. I nod.

 _Man, talk about a mood whiplash. Although…I think I learnt something about her today…_

We quietly part ways. Once in my room, I take out my E-Book.

" _Kikoi is half-Japanese and can speak three languages. Her parents are actors and as such, she was homeschooled. She showed interest in stunt work over acting and convinced her parents to allow her to stunt. She wants to have a motorcycle of her own one day."_

The heavy mood I took back doesn't want to make me socialize much more, so I—

* * *

I feel like socializing today. I come to that conclusion while I'm eating a riceball in the cafeteria. When I'm done, I go for the Kumachrome shop. This time, my purchase ends up being a small soap bar that smells really well.

 _Well, I'm doing well with Kikoi. Maybe she'll like it._

I find her near the ladies' restroom. She is just leaning against the wall, doing nothing. I head over. "Want to continue the session today?" I ask her. She looks up, smiling in recognition and nods.

Kikoi talks to me while I stay silent and I occasionally ask a question. Eventually, I give her the gift.

"F-for me? Um…uh…thank you…very much…"

 _If anyone else said that, it would be sarcastic. But since it's Kikoi, I'm counting it as a win._

This deal has become common practice with us now. I stay silent while Kikoi talks and keeps the conversation going. It's tough, but she is doing better and better. I'm just thinking of taking things to the next level when she switches topics again.

"…And like you said, confusing languages is annoying…but not as annoying as…well…having all those traditions. I-it sort of depends where I am…but…it's mostly American and Japanese traditions. M-my grandma was so mad I couldn't attend… _Dias de los Muertos…_ with my mom's side…of the family… she flew all the way over here to smack my father and teacher with her sandal."

The image of a little old lady flying across the ocean to hit two grown man with her sandal is too funny not to snort. When she sees me laughing, she becomes more confident.

"Honestly, she smacks my father a lot. She still thinks…my mom should have married an American."

"She sounds feisty to me."

"She is." She smiles sheepishly. "But she is very sweet to me and my mom. It helps I don't look that Japanese. It must be my skin tone."

We fall silent again. Kikoi fiddles with her jacket. I decide to take the leap. "Kikoi, what do you think? Are you ready to take in another person in our group?"

It's as if she's struck by lightning. She freezes up, the question spinning in her head. Her face pales. "A-already?"

"You've gotten pretty far already. You're stuttering less, and you've gotten more comfortable talking to me. Do you think we can try asking a third person to join us? We can start with Toshiya, he is polite enough not to interrupt."

She looks away. "I-I…I don't know…"

I can't help but frown. "If you only talk to me, you're going to have the same problem as with Masato."

"I-I know…"

Just as I cross my arms to think how we're going to solve this problem, something comes to mind. "You know, there have been a few times when you were talking fluidly and determined, as if you weren't shy. How come?"

There no immediate answer. Just an embarrassed look on her face. "T-those are either…well…sometimes there is too much…going on…to think over my words…and other times…they're movie quotes…"

 _Ah, well, that makes some sort of sense…I guess…_

Silence falls between us. Kikoi looks at the ground. I suddenly notice there are tears in her eyes.

"I…I hate this. I-I hate freezing up…when someone asks me a question. I hate not being able…to look into someone's eyes. I-I hate…being fearful of people."

"Kikoi…"

"I promised to protect people. B-but…how…how can I…can I do that…if I can't take care…of myself? I-I am so shy…how can I help everyone…when I can't talk properly to them? Heh…I'm so…pathetic…weak…I couldn't even stop…"

I watch as Kikoi hugs herself, tears streaming down her face. "People…they call me…brave and…courageous…but I-I…I'm not. Because…I can't…I don't fear my work…but I fear talking…and socializing…how could anyone call me brave?"

My heart becomes a little heavy as the topic hits a bit close to home. Without thinking, I say: "I am still calling you brave."

She obviously did not expect that, if her surprised face is anything to go by. "Huh? What are you…"

"Sure, things may not go so well when it comes to socializing with everyone else. But you're making efforts to surpass that." I point out.

"W-what?"

"You could have locked yourself in your room and shied away from everyone save Masato. But you didn't. You go every morning to the cafeteria, walk around and most importantly, you came to me for help. You knew you had a weakness and sought a way to fix it, even though that way scares you. In my opinion, you're a brave person."

Still not convinced, she looks away. "But I still can't…"

I frown. "But you're trying. You of all people should know you can't learn a skill in a day. That's why you need to practice. First with Masato, then with me, and only then comes the next step. Taking steps. That's how we're going to do things."

For a moment, she is silent, but then she looks at me. "We?"

 _Damn, got myself in a pinch here._ "Well, are you going to do this on your own then?"

She shakes her head, but there is still a concerned look in her eyes.

 _I hope she drops the subject soon…or I'll become a hypocrite. Aside from that, I learnt more about Kikoi today._

We end our session and split. When I reach my room, I open up my handbook again.

" _Kikoi is self-conscious about her own bravery. She doesn't think she's brave because she is afraid of confronting her fear. Of course, that is bullshit and I called her out on it. Even if the steps are small, she is working on her problems."_

With that filled in, I decide to take it easy for the rest of the day. So, I hop into my bureau chair and—

* * *

I can't remember when I fell asleep. But, that really wouldn't be the first time. I wriggle myself out of bed and when I do so, I notice a letter shoved underneath my door.

 _Huh?_

At first, I'm hesitant. But curiosity overwhelms me, and I take the envelop. When I open it, I see it's from Kikoi.

" _Dear Yurika,_

 _I'd like to talk with you in private, if that's possible. Could you meet me in my room?_

 _Kikoi"_

 _Sure, that doesn't seem suspicious at all._ But whether it's Kikoi's niceness or simple stupidity, I decide to go. But not without a gift. After quickly getting a shirt with a famous judoka on it, I head towards Kikoi's room. After a last moment of hesitation, I knock on the door.

After a moment of quiet, Kikoi opens the door and practically pulls me in. Her strength, despite having witnessed it firsthand, surprises me and I almost trip over her chabudai. The small table scrapes a bit over the floor but remains undamaged.

"Are you okay?" Kikoi almost yells at me.

"Yeah, just, next time, don't pull someone into a room."

She goes very, very quiet. To make her feel better, I give her the shirt. She blushes a bit and takes it. "Um, you can…sit wherever you like."

Kikoi's room is one giant cultural pot. Mexican flowers and cloths in vibrant colors, an American flag, a Japanese table and a whole lot of souvenirs from all over the globe. Motorbike magazines are sprawled across the floor, there are posters of famous actors and stuntmen almost covering the walls and various birds are carved out of wood. Every time I look at something, I notice something new. My room is so boring compared to hers.

I eventually regain the strength in my legs and go sit at the chabudai. Kikoi makes herself comfy at the other side, crossed legged. She smiles awkwardly.

"I'm still not used to sitting on my legs. They…fall asleep easily."

"It's fine, I prefer cross-legged often too."

We fall into silence once again. But this time, it's not awkward. It's a nice kind of silence. One that shows the trust and friendship we've build up together.

Finally, Kikoi breaks the ice and the silence. "I want to end our deal."

Her words feel like something just slammed into me. "What?"

She flinches. "I don't mean it in a bad way! It's…well…I've had some time to think…and you're right. I need to start talking to other people. But…I want to try it on my own first. To see if I can do it. To see if I can overcome my fears on my own."

Chuckling, I look at her. "That's very brave of you. So, who are you going after first?"

"Well, I might start with Toshiya, like you said. Maybe I'll move onto Noriko next. And after that, I'll just see." She absentmindedly scratches the back of her neck. "I…just wanted to thank you for everything you've done. For giving me a bit of confidence again. I…had a rough time both now…and before…"

Curious, I cock my head. "Before?"

Her face falls, as if she is remembering a bad memory. "Well…I haven't told you about the reason I'm here, right?"

I slowly nod.

"You see…it happened about a few months back. My parents…had just signed a new contract for a new movie, but I…didn't want to split, now that I had finally made a friend. Seeing I could take care of myself, my parents agreed to let me stay here…with my grandma and my trainers. It was fun. I got to meet another girl through Masato and we became fast friends. Everything was great…until…"

She wraps her arms around herself and brings her legs to her chest. "My judo trainer…he got sick…so a replacement was called in. At first…he was friendly…until he asked me if I was single…"

Major alarm bells go off in my head, but it's too late to stop her now.

"After that…he started insisting…on going on a date. I was single…and only a few months away from becoming 18…so why not spend more time. I…thought it was creepy…so I said no. Or, well, I tried to…but I was so afraid…I could barely speak. My friends, they…insisted to tell him off…until I did. He dropped the subject for a while…until he photographed me in the locker room."

 _Good fucking god._ "Yikes."

"Yeah. He said that…if I didn't go on a date with him…he would spread it on the internet. So…so I…so I did. I-it was…awful. He kept trying to hug…and kiss me…and afterwards, demanded for a second date. And another…and another…and every time, it was worse than the last."

 _Jesus, that is one hell of an abuser._

"Couldn't you do something about it? Beat the crap out of him, call the police?"

She shakes her head. "He had a black belt, I have a brown belt. Qua skill, I was beneath him. He always kept an eye on me, so I couldn't call the police. I only got to call my friends. I tried to hide what was happening to me, but Masato noticed. He confronted me, and I confessed. He…he was so mad…you wouldn't believe it. But…he couldn't do anything, just like me."

 _I guess this is the point where she turned things around, for better or worse._ "How did you get out?"

Her eyes look down, tears streaming down. "…My other friend suggested killing him."

 _What?_

"I didn't agree at first, because I could never kill someone. But then Masato mentioned he had connections at a local aquarium and how we could set it up like an accident. I protested, but it was either that or suffering more of that trainer. So, I eventually agreed."

I'm almost afraid to ask. "And…how did I go?"

She is at the point of trembling. "Terrible. The workers found out what we were doing, apprehended us and saved him. His lawyers were better than mine and my parents were on a faraway island. Actually, they're still there."

"Your parents…do they know?"

There is a quiet 'no'. "I hoped to get out before they'd know…but…"

 _Yeah, Monokuma's plans put a stop to that._

Just as I'm about to comfort her, she takes a deep breath. "But…there is no use… _crying over spilled milk_." Her sudden English confuses me briefly. "I need to go on…and become strong…so I can apologize to my parents…and become the person I've always dreamt of being."

And with that, she seems to relax a little. When she sees my amazed stare, she just giggles. "So, I'm going…to try and talk to other people. But…I'd like us to remain friends."

There is really only one thing I can say.

"Yeah, I'd like that too."

Kikoi spits on her hand and holds it out towards me. I copy her. As we shake hands, I can feel our bound deepening.

We talk a bit more, until I decide to return to my room. We wave each other goodbye as I head out. Filled with a strange warmth in my heart, I walk to my room. When inside, I decide to check out the E-Book.

" _Kikoi told me about her crime and the backstory behind it. How she was harassed by her trainer and eventually tried to kill him with Masato's help. Her parents don't know what happened to her, which is why she is determined to grow stronger. Because of this, she has broken our deal, but she wishes to remain friends. I wish for that too."_

I smile as I look at the pink star, before closing the E-Book. _I made a friend…and I'm happy I did._

* * *

 **New item!** **Leather jacket:** proof you have cleared chapter 1!

 **New skill! Emotional Analysis** : weak points will stay on screen longer.

 **New skill! Daredevil** : deal more damage during Panic Talk Action.

 **New item! Ainosuke's underwear:** a dark pair of briefs with red lining. Looks strangely based on one of those fancy panties for females.

 **New item! Kikoi's underwear:** a pair of black boy shorts. Very comfy and very sturdy. Handy during exercise.

 **Unlocked Trivia!**

\- The chapter title comes partly from the movie The Crow, or well, the accident during production of the movie. The actor for the main character would be shot around the end of the movie and they were supposed to use blanks. However, the gun ended up fatally wounding the actor. I felt a movie accident would be fitting for this character.

\- A crow is also one of the black feathered birds Kikoi is obsessed with. The main reason for her choosing Blackbird out of all other bird names is because it sounds cooler.

\- The swan refers to Ainosuke, for obvious reasons.

\- Most of the characters in this story are recycled OC's. Kikoi and Ainosuke are no exception.

\- The number four in Japan is an omen of death. It's like the number 13 in the west. Pretty fascinating, really.

\- I intended for Ainosuke to be more of a grey character, but I feel I made him lean a bit too much to the sympathetic side. Although, it is kind of hard to balance a character with a crime like his.

\- I don't know Spanish. At all.

\- Ainosuke's and Kikoi's zodiacs are Aries and Gemini respectively. Birthdays and zodiacs were chosen at random. This may or may not change.

\- I'm planning to put the E-Book profiles of those who've been maxed out on my Bio. Stay tuned!


	15. Chapter 2 part 1

**Chapter 2**

 **Heresy of The New Age Philosopher**

 **Daily Life**

* * *

"… _Huh?"_

" _Oh, uh nothing…"_

"…"

" _You know…I was just thinking…"_

" _If you were to d̶̨̨͇̠͉͚͉̟̘̈́̃́͌ͅi̷̢͓̲̙̬̜̾̐̈̓̓͑́́̈́̈́́̋̂͐͜ẻ̵͖̻͕̰̩̠̯͗́, how would you want to go?"_

" _Haha, no, don't be worried, you jokester!"_

" _I'm just curious. Is it wrong to be?"_

"… _Heh, I guess it is a bit weird…"_

* * *

The morning announcement blares through the speakers, but I merely stir. Eventually, I manage to open my eyes. All my energy seems to have disappeared though, so I just remain in bed, staring at the wall.

 _Ainosuke and Kikoi are dead._

In all honesty, the reality of that doesn't seem to have fully caught up with me yet. It feels like I'm in some sort of disturbing nightmare, ready to wake up any time soon. I sigh.

Last night was a fucking train wreck. I still remember it clearly.

-Flashback-

After trying and failing to sleep for what felt like hours last night, we had all been called to the cafeteria. No one knew why, but we all came. It was like we had all had collectively given up on our safety at that point and just took the damn risk. When we arrived, Monokuma was waiting for us.

"So, since each and every one of you has done such a fantastic job on solving the case, I feel like you all deserve a reward! Allow me to introduce to you…your four-star celebratory buffet!"

And sure enough, there was a giant buffet with everything you could imagine, even things we didn't know were in the facility, such as whole roasted chickens and shrimps. The tables were put together to form one long table for all of us to sit at and Kumachrome was standing with an apron and a chef's hat to take our orders for drinks.

In the beginning, everyone was wary. What if the drinks were poisoned? What if there was a drug in them? What if this was the start for the new motive?

But soon enough, my stomach reminded me I had barely eaten all day and my hunger won from my common sense. And those chicken nuggets looked delicious…

"Yurika, what the hell do you think you doing?" Noriko asked me when she saw me making my way to those nuggets.

"Feeding my fucking stomach. I'm starving." I merely replied. Noriko looked as if I had just grown an extra head.

"You're eating from this food!? It could be poisoned!"

I turned around, plate with chicken nuggets in my hands. "Each of these nuggets could be filled with arsenic and I wouldn't give a shit. I'm hungry. I have barely eaten all day. My goddamn throat is hoarse from screaming arguments at you guys. Give me a break."

"You're ludicrous!" Ekorin had shouted at me. "Are you that willing to risk your life!?"

"Fuck yeah I am."

Monokuma drooped. "Aw, you guys don't even trust me enough to give you this glorious buffet? And I spend so much time on it too. I guess if you guys don't want, I'll just have to throw it all away."

"What the fuck are you talking about, I was the one who made all of this shit." Kumachrome muttered to himself.

But I had already made my decision. I grabbed one of the nuggets from my plate and shoved it inside my mouth. Everyone was watching as I didn't even savor the taste, I was that hungry. When I finally swallowed it, I looked at them again.

"Well, it's not fast-acting. Or laced with bleach."

Many of them gave a sigh of relief.

"I doubt Monokuma would kill off all of his 'players' at once when he is more interested in this 'game'." Mizuki had pointed out. "It's probably safe to eat."

Rea seemed amused. "Is that why you decided to have Yurika as a test experiment?"

"I haven't seen you eaten anything yet." Hanako retorted.

At that moment, Yuyami seemed to have made a choice. "Y'know, if Rika's still alive, then we probably have nothing to worry about. I'm grabbing a bite too."

"Fuck yeah, like hell I'm afraid of food!" Homura had shouted.

Now that the two loudest people in the class had decided on eating, it didn't take long for the others to follow either. Only Shinri, who was still seeing green, and Toshiya, who was still unconscious in his room, passed.

"Yeah, I don't think my stomach can handle food right now…" The poor critic had mumbled before dashing off to the men's toilets.

"I'll grab something for him later." Hanako noted. "I'm hungry too."

And so, pretty much everyone choose food. Even Noriko couldn't ignore her growing hunger and gave in. The meal itself was splendid. However…

Yoru played around with his food. "I know it's crazy…but… I'm really not that hungry."

"Hate to admit it," Homura said as she took a sip from her soda, "but I'm not that hungry either. Guess it's from—"

"Hey, don't upset him even further than he already is. He is just getting stable." Tomoe had shut her up.

"F'real though…" Yuyami muttered. "…on one hand, I could eat a whole cow, but on the other hand, I feel like going after Shinri every time I put something on my plate."

Several nods and murmurs of agreement cemented that today's events had definitely put a damper on everyone's stomach. Hanako pleaded for everyone to at least eat enough to not starve and ultimately, I was the one who ended up eating the most.

 _It's weird…I know I can be gluttonous, but to be eating more than the boys? Hasn't happened to me before, not even here. And…on one hand, I can understand them. I feel like I shouldn't have been able to eat that much after seeing something that graphic, but on the other hand…somehow…I'm not that bothered._

And that sudden thought scared me so much, I was quiet for the rest of the night. Everyone left after finishing our meal. Hanako escorted Shinri to his room while Tomoe brought Masato with him. With a full stomach, I was finally able to get a few hours of sleep.

-Flashback—

Now, my stomach is hungry again. I know I must get up eventually. But I don't want to. I just want to stay in my room and sleep. And that's exactly what I end up doing.

It's a shame fate apparently hates me.

Someone knocks on the door. It's rather hard, so I doubt it's Hanako, but I hoist myself out of bed anyways to see who it is.

It's Homura, her arms crossed and her face blank. "Noriko wants everyone in the cafeteria again. You better hurry up before she drags you out herself."

I hesitate. Part of me wants to just close the door and stay inside, but on the other hand…

 _Do I really want to unleash Noriko's wrath?_

"Just give me a minute to throw on a new shirt. I'll shower after breakfast."

She merely nods and waits as I dart inside to grab a new shirt. We meet up and we descent. It's kind of silent between the two of us until…

"Oh Yurika, when will you stop oversleeping? Next time, you may be bleeding out in your room and no one will come because everyone will think you're still out like a little light."

Naturally, the voice is Rea's. What I don't expect is for her to stand near the railing, carefully balancing on her toes, her braids tied to the railing. I frown at Homura.

"Come on, do you want her to ruin shit again? 'Cuse me for wanting to prevent her bullshit for once." She rolls her eyes at me.

"Nah." I smirk. "I was just hoping you'd leave a braid for me."

My reaction brings a grin to her face and we fistbump.

"I'm flattered, Yurika. I know you'd take better care of my hair than you ever did with yours."

We both ignore her as we start to walk out of the dormitory.

"If I starve here you get executed."

Homura gives me a wink. "Take one for the team."

"How about no?" I answer amused. "Dying for her is the last thing on my mind."

Giggling, we enter the cafeteria, where our laughter falls silent. It's obvious everyone is still tense after yesterday's events. Yuyami and Tomoe are in the corner flanking Masato, who is looking at his untouched food with an empty stare. He seems detached from reality as Yuyami's pleas for him to eat fall on deaf ears.

The rest aren't doing well either. Isamu is sitting in the other corner, hissing at everyone who dares to come too close. Hanako is going around with food, muttering to herself as she whisks past Noriko, who seems ready to climb the table any second. Ekorin is still trying to comfort Yoru and Toshiya and Mizuki are eating in silence.

Noriko walks to us the moment she sees us arriving. "I see you got Yurika, but where is Shinri?"

The punk throws up her shoulders. "Said he was still feeling ill. Not about to barge into a sick guy's room. Said he was going to grab his own breakfast later, when he was feeling less sick. We probably shouldn't expect him here today."

Noriko breaths out deeply, annoyed. "Nothing we can do about that right now. We should have someone check on him later, maybe bring him some food. In the meantime, we need to revise the cooking schedule now that we are missing two people…how am I going to do this…"

Knowing I'm not going to be able to eat in peace when she makes her announcements, I interfere. "Maybe you should think about it while everyone eats and do it when everyone is finished. In the meantime, I'm going to go to Hanako. See ya."

Hanako looks incredibly busy, but she gives me a huge smile anyways when I approach her.

"Yurika! Oh, you want to eat too, huh? Oh, uh, wait, let me just…put these down…"

 _I feel like she needs a little help._ "Don't worry about me, just point to me where the food is. Worked last night just as well. Say, don't you feel like you are overworking yourself a bit?"

Her smile is fake, but I just have to give her points for trying to stay up-beat in this downer situation. "Nah, I'm fine. It's just…everything is a mess right now and that makes it hard to stay strong."

"If it makes you feel better, you're doing much better than me. Than most people, actually."

She doesn't know how to respond to that. "Well…life still goes on. Work still needs to be done. If none of us do anything, we'll starve. I don't want that." Again, she flashes me a smile that is just a little too cheery to be real. "So, I'll work to keep us going."

 _Damn, guess she is stronger than I give her credit for. I can barely even get out of bed and here she is, making breakfast for everyone and making sure we eat. That is amazing._

I take a plate of food and sit at a random spot. I quietly eat while Yuyami finally manages to feed Masato by pretty much shoving it in his face.

By the time I'm done, Noriko climbs onto the table and tells everyone to be silent.

"Alright, listen. I know that everyone is still upset after yesterday—"

"That is putting it lightly." Isamu pretty much spats out those words.

"…But we need to get back on track. Okay, so we're missing both Shinri and Rea today. I'm proposing someone brings food to them. Any volunteers?"

Naturally, no one raises their hand. Noriko pinches the bridge of her nose. "Alright, I know no one is found of Rea, but—"

"I'll do it."

The lone volunteer is Yoru. He looks down. "I…I don't feel very helpful around here. If that's what I can do to help…then…"

The thought of leaving sweet Yoru with Rea sickens me, but I don't want to deal with her either. _Besides, Yoru knows what he is signing up for. Better leave him be._

"…Okay, that's that. Furthermore, now that we are missing one person from the cooking schedule and one person is out of commission for a while, we will need to revise it."

Homura shrugs. "Sure. Anything else?"

Noriko opens her mouth, but before she can say anything, Monochrome Doom jumps onto the table. "As a matter of fact, I do!"

Those who are still standing quickly take a few steps back. Those who are sitting, like me, just give a short yell or gasp of surprise.

"What the fuck do you want?" Hanako growls at him.

Monokuma pouts. "I get the feeling I'm not that liked around here."

"Oh, how could such a thing be?" Mizuki sarcastically mutters.

Monokuma seems to ignore her. "Hm, maybe I need to host an event to let you guys warm up to me. Hey, hey! I have an idea! Why don't we see a movie all together? Like a badass action flick?"

It's dead silent.

 _Oh my god. He…fucking didn't…_

There is a whimper. We all slowly turn out heads. And all hell breaks loose.

"A-ahh…. aaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The scream pierces my eardrums, and slices right through my heartstrings. It's the scream like in a horror movie, when the guy comes back to see all his friends are gone. But this sounds far more real and far more terrifying. It's the sound when the man who tried to keep himself together now finally breaks. The sound that reminds us that we will never see Kikoi walking through this door again, never hear her voice anymore and that she is forever gone.

Tomoe and Yuyami are quicker at his side than humanly possible, not entirely sure what to do, but unwilling to leave him alone. Masato's face can't be seen through the mop of hair and the hands that cover it, but I can still hear his cries.

Ekorin, Yoru and Noriko are trying their best to restrain Hanako and Homura, the latter only stopping when Mizuki and Toshiya try to talk some sense into them. Hanako is more stubborn and it takes getting Tomoe to hold her back to finally calm her down. Isamu in the meantime, has left the cafeteria.

 _Jesus fuck…_

I decide to take the role of the speaker in this situation and look at Monokuma. "That was a dick move and we all know it. Do you have anything else to say? Because if not, back the fuck off."

The bear, who seemed to be in glee watching the whole ordeal, merely shrugs. "Upupupu…well…I was going to say that some of you juveniles may need a push or two in the romance department—"

"Yeah, you have nothing useful to say. Upupu-piss off."

"—But maybe I should just keep it by the announcement that the first floor and the basement have been opened."

Upon hearing that, most of us became quiet.

"…We have a basement?" Yuyami asked confused.

"Yup, yup! And because you cleared the trial so well, all of you have access to it! You should find the doors to them into the spiral staircase. Happy hunting!"

He disappears before we can grill him. By now, Hanako and Homura are finally calmed down and Masato has stopped screaming, although he is still crying and curled up in his seat. Seeing how the situation isn't as chaotic, Noriko kicks back into her leadership position.

"Alright, heads up everyone. Hanako, bring out some food for Shinri and Rea and help Yoru bring it to them. Notify them of the opened grounds as well."

"Why should we tell her about the opened grounds?" Homura sneers. "I think we're all better off the less she learns."

"Normally, I would agree, but Rea is intelligent. No doubt she'd figure it out on her own. The less we keep from her, the lesser we're likely to incur her wrath. Rea on her own is a pain to deal with, I don't want to deal with her while she is on a warpath."

 _Yeah, Rea getting angry is something I hope I never live to see._

Hanako shakes her head and sighs but agrees. "Yeah, as much as I hate her, I'm not gonna let Yoru deal with her own his own. Then, I guess I'll clean up afterwards and come after you. You all go ahead."

Yuyami gets up with an overly bright smile and pulls Masato from his seat. "Sounds good to me. Come on Masato, let's explore. It'll get your mind off."

The guy hiccups slightly as he is led away. Tomoe grumbles and goes after them. Homura rubs her temples. "Shit, okay. Fuck. I'm gonna go too. This stuff is giving me a headache. You guys coming?"

Ekorin briefly looks at Noriko, who nods. "Go. I'll help Hanako with the kitchen."

"Thank fuck."

"You're welcome."

The green-haired girl then walks away, closely followed by Mizuki. Toshiya gives me a brief look before going after them as well.

 _Looks like it's time to find more info on this building._

Just as Monokuma said, the moment I step into the spiral staircase I notice there is a door open. Not just that, but the back wall suddenly has a door-shaped opening now, with a staircase going down. _Should I go up or down? Eh, let's check downstairs first._

I descent the stairs, carefully holding onto the railing. When I step onto the ground, I look around. The first thing I notice is how hot it is here. When I hear laughter coming out of a room, I decide to take a look.

Homura is standing over a furnace, holding something in the fire and wearing a leather apron. When she sees me, she flashes me a toothy grin. "Yurika! Perfect timing! Look!"

She pulls out the thing from the fire. It's a flaming ball on a stick. She takes a deep breath and blows into the stick. I blink.

"This is a glassblowing workspace?"

"Fuck me if it isn't! Monokuma told me everyone here has their own workplace, or talent lab as he calls them. There are none on the ground floor, but the others do have some."

She continues working on her fireball with a large array of tools. When it finally cools off, it has become a beautiful vase.

"Wow." I can't help but comment on its prettiness. Homura however is pouting. "Damn, I've gotten rusty. Shit, I got to show you an actual piece of art some time. Although, considering how out of shape I've gotten, that may take a while."

 _Really? All those colors, that shape… its hard to think this isn't one of her best._

Homura stokes up the fire a bit more and as the heat rises, I feel like staying here may not be the best idea if I don't want to sweat out of my clothes, so I leave. The next room seems locked for some odd reason, just like the next.

 _Why bother opening the floor if you're gonna lock most of these doors? Whatever, maybe the last one will open._

And to my surprise, it does. To make the surprise even bigger, it seems to be a dressing room, leading to a full-on bathhouse. I give a low whistle as I look around. A warm water bath, a sauna, seats to wash yourself… nothing is skipped over.

"Damn. This place must have had money to spend."

Yuyami, who is standing near the bath, look up. Masato sits next to him, looking into the water.

"Yo, princess!"

"Are you gonna call me 'Rika' or 'Princess'?"

He shrugs. "Eh, why not both? You can never have too many nicknames. So, whadda ya think? I may spend a day or two here. Why not join me?" He winks.

"I'll pass. Forever."

"Dammit."

Before he can try again, I switch topics. "How is he?"

It takes him a moment, but then he frowns a little.

"Not too good." He whispers. "It's hard to pull him into reality and even harder to try and keep him away from dangerous stuff. He keeps on denying she is gone. The slightest thing, the wrong words can send him into tears. I thought I should take him here. Y'know, the water and all. His talent may ease the pain, but we haven't found his talent lab, so this is the next—"

SPLASH!

… _That can't be good…_

"…OH SHIT!" Yuyami spins around faster than I've seen anyone doing and dives headfirst into the water. I quickly run up to them, making sure not to slip on the wet floor. Yuyami comes up from the water, gasping for breath, holding a writhing Masato in his arms. I kneel onto the floor and reach for them. Gratefully, Yuyami hands him over to me, but Masato is quite heavy.

"I can't do it!" I yell. _Fuck, fuck! He's gonna drown!_

Yuyami quickly climbs out of the water and takes back control. With one mighty pull, he finally drags him out of the water.

"A-are you fucking insane!? You could have drowned! What the fuck man!?" He yells. Masato doesn't react. He just stares into the water. Yuyami sighs.

"Jesus fuck. Time to go back mate. Last time I'm letting you down here…" He mutters as he drags Masato out of the room. Just before he steps out of the door, he turns to me, awkwardly rubbing his head. "Oh, and, uh, thanks Rika."

It's the most mature I've seen from him. _Damn. That took some guts. Of course, even if he is a bit of a jerk, I can understand he doesn't want people to die either. I'm a jerk and I don't like to see corpses either. Still…_

I explore the room a little further before leaving with the mental note to come here when it's deserted. Since it's the last room of the basement, I go up two stairs to reach the second opened floor.

The first thing I come across while searching this floor is the broom closet. The second door however, is more special. It has a chemistry flask with a bubbling liquid painted on it. I don't need to guess whose talent lab this is. To my surprise however, its locked.

"I do not think you will get in anytime soon." The sweet voice behind me is from Ekorin. "She unfortunately locked herself in her laboratory when she discovered it. She refuses to be disturbed for all and every reason."

 _Considering Mizuki's closed nature…yeah, I can see that._

"Alright, so, what's in the room across this one?"

Ekorin giggles and opens the door. "It is the lounge and it is very pleasant in here."

She is right. It is very nice. Numerus couches and chairs are placed, each looking incredibly comfortable. There is a fireplace, a few tables and a whole bunch of accessories and decorations. Toshiya is looking at a shelf with glass bottles when I approach him.

"Anything interesting?"

He looks to his side to see me standing there. "Ah, yes, indeed. I was admiring the handiwork of these exquisite decorations. The colors, the flowers inside of them, it's very beautiful."

I can't help but laugh. "Don't let Homura know you said that, or she'll burn your tongue with her glassblowing tools."

He blushes, looking away in embarrassment. "O-of course, I didn't wish to insult Homura's talent or imply her skills as a glassblower are invalid—"

"Tsk, come on, Homura's got a thick skin. Don't think you're gonna be insulting her anytime soon." I say as I roll my eyes. "I bet she's gonna be up day and night making the perfect glass bottles just to prove they're better than those."

"Perhaps." He says. But his voice isn't as convinced. I decide it's a lost cause.

"Cool place. Have you already checked out the other rooms?"

Toshiya shakes his head. "I had finished the basement, but as I was searching this floor, I became enthralled with this lovely work of art."

 _That's…one way to get distracted. Hm, maybe I should ask him about what he thinks of the locked doors downstairs. He is the Ultimate Puzzler after all._

"So, Toshiya." I say, urgency in my voice. He faces me, eyebrow raised. I shoot the question. "I noticed there were a few locked doors in the basement. Any theories on what could be behind them?"

He placed his chin on his hand, momentarily lost in thought. "Well, I believe one of the rooms is the garbage disposal. After all, this place doesn't clean up itself. And I think the other room…might be a boiler room of some sorts."

 _A boiler room, huh?_ "Any evidence for that?"

He shakes his head. "Mere speculation. But, as heat is known to rise, it would make sense to have a source of warmth downstairs to heat the rest of the building. But why they are locked…"

Toshiya mumbling to himself has become nothing new for me. Just as he quickly steps outside of the room, completely dropping the conversation as if it never happened.

 _He does raise a good question though: why would those places be locked? Monokuma would be more than happy to provide us with more killing methods. And I can only begin to imagine what someone might do in a boiler room…_

Feeling a shiver going down my spine, I don't dwell on it for much longer. Instead, I venture out to see the next rooms. The next door is a dark green, with a rock hammer on it. Having a good feeling whose lab this is, I knock on the door.

Tomoe peaks out from the room next to it. "You take a look if you want, but I doubt you understand jack shit."

 _Okay then…_

Surprised by the allowance, I push open the door and look inside.

It's not…what I expected. Although to be fair, I had no idea what I expected in the first place.

Maps and books are scattered throughout the room, posters hanging from the wall. Rocks, minerals and crystals are placed on a messy table, with microscopes and other lab equipment waiting to be used. The only thing that really reflects Tomoe's character is the climbing wall on the far left.

One particular green crystal, locked inside a cabinet, is really catching my eye. It shines from the lightbulb inside of it and it is very entrancing. It lures me closer, begs me to open the cabinet touch it…

But my wrist is suddenly locked with a warm, rough and strong hand. Tomoe shakes his head. "Torbernite. Radioactive. If you wanna fucking kill yourself, that's the way to go."

He releases his grip and I immediately rub my sore wrist. "Then it's a dumb idea to leave it out in a simple cabinet, right?"

"It's not a simple cabinet, dumbass. It's a highly secure radiation chamber."

"Then why does it look like a normal cabinet?"

"How the fuck should I know?"

 _Alright then…I think it's better to drop the topic._

I finally stop rubbing my wrist as I try to look past him. "What were you doing in the other room by the way?"

For a single moment, he is quiet, but then he turns around and walks to the door. A second before I roll my eyes and snark at him, he gestures to the door with his head. Sighing internally, I follow him. He leads me into the room next to his.

It's…pretty. Very much so. Brightly colored flowers are potted, bushes with all kinds of fruit sit in a row in the middle and hanging plants are in pots hanging from the ceiling. A sweet smell floats through the air.

"Wow…what is this place?"

Tomoe shrugs. "Kumachrome told me it was the garden, but it's more like a botany lab. I've spent the time looking up what these fuckers are and which ones we can eat."

 _Hmm, fresh strawberries…I can already taste them…_

I look around if I see any. A strawberry plant is sitting in a corner. A juicy strawberry hangs from a vine. My hand reaches for it…

And again, Tomoe's hand wraps around me. "Are you fucking kidding me? Leave. Shit. You don't know. Alone."

"It's a strawberry! A goddamn strawberry!" I protest.

He snorts. "Yeah, until you double over from the poison. Just wait until I've read all the information on this shit."

"How do you know these are poisonous? The rock? Sure, that's your talent. But last time I checked, that talent was botany." I inquire.

"Kumachrome warned me some of them could lead to accidental poisoning and 'ruin the game'. So, that's why I'm keeping guard until we've figured which ones are edible and which ones we gotta burn before some decides to take Ainosuke's path."

My blood runs cold upon the mention of Ainosuke. I try to bite the sharp hiss down, but my breath still hitches. Ainosuke's lifeless body flashes before my eyes, every detail still burned into my memory. My body trembles from the horrific sight I was greeted with when I turned the corner, so worried that something might have happened to Toshiya and Ainosuke and—"

A warm, strong and rough hand rests upon my shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze. It's almost as if I was hooked like a fish and sudden dragged back onto the surface as I slip back into reality. I look up, meeting Tomoe's strong, yet soft golden eyes. He keeps looking as his hand keeps me steady. With every breath, I can feel my body calming down.

When I'm finally myself again, he lets go and leaves the room without another word. _That…was strange. Did he just…comfort me? Well, at least he calmed me down. That's very nice of him. But…why would he just leave after that? Ugh, he is so confusing sometimes._

I exit the garden, noticing there are only three rooms left. The first room has the silhouette of a dancing lady on it. _Not hard to figure out whom this room belongs to._

I haven't seen Noriko yet, so I don't know if she knows about her lab yet, but I'm too curious to keep away. I gently push open the door. Try, rather. But no matter how much I push or pull, the door refuses to open.

"Christ, why is every place locked here?"

"I can answer that!"

Turning around, I am greeted with Monokuma standing next to me. The incredible height difference makes him look more harmless than usual, but I can't stop myself from stumbling back anyways.

 _W-when did he got here!? Another one of his teleportation tricks?_

"To answer your question, talent labs can only be unlocked with their owner's Handbook. Not just that, but when you find your talent lab, you can also lock it! Upupu, seems you haven't found yours yet. What a pity…"

I gather up my courage and stare him down. "So, you're saying it's locked because Noriko hasn't opened it yet? I know enough. Waste of time. Now shoo."

"Aww, you want me away so badly? But I'm supposed to be the series most lovable character! What did I do wrong? Is it the violent nature of this game I'm encouraging here?"

The amount of sarcasm that drips off my words is enough to fill an ocean. "Nah, noooo waaayyyyy…"

He doesn't give a bother. He claps his hands together like a ninja from a very long manga series. "Alright, time to make a change! Hiyyyyyaaaaaa!"

His red eyes glows ominously and I keep my distance, fear crawling into my throat, scared whatever he might pull—

BLEEP. BLEEP.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…Alright, that should do it! New rule added: locked rooms may not be broken into. This will keep you vandals from breaking doors and stealing other people's stuff! There, my popularity rate should grow now. Well, happy killing!"

And with that, he disappears, leaving me stunned silent for a few minutes.

… _What the fuck just happened?_

Shaking my head, I redirect my attention to the door next to Noriko's lab. It has a picture of a microphone. _If it's not Noriko's lab, what kind of room is it? Ekorin's, maybe?"_

I swing the door open so I'll know just how wrong I am. And indeed, like I guessed, it's not Ekorin's room. Unless you call a recording room with music instruments her room. Microphones in every shape and size are standing in place, the walls are soundproof and there are even cameras and a video player to film and play whatever you want.

Softly whistling at the expensive equipment, I walk into the recording part and run my hand over the wall. "Wow…how much must this have cost?"

"More than I'll ever be able to afford."

Shinri is standing behind me, eyes sparkling and mouth wide open, though that last bit is a guess, as his facemask is covering the bottom half of his face. Despite that, he is looking around in wonder.

"Just imagine all the things you could do in this place. Music, filming, maybe even gaming if I manage to bring my game station here…this place is incredible."

It's like he is a little kid in a toyshop. Every crook and nanny is carefully examined. His glasses are fogging up from all the excitement that is going through them. When he takes a break from looking at an expensive camera to clean his glasses, I take the chance to ask him about his health.

"Feeling a bit better now?"

He blinks at me for a moment, and then puts his glasses back on. "Oh, yeah, I guess. Still feeling a bit iffy, but nothing I can't handle. I don't think I'll stay for too long here. I'll probably go back to my room soon. I'm just here for the recording studio Ekorin told me about."

 _She probably decided to check on him._

"Is Rea still tied up?"

"As far as I know, yeah. Last time I saw her, Hanako and Noriko were discussing on what to do with her. From what I could hear, Noriko wanted to allow Rea to her room, while Hanako argued she couldn't be trusted."

Sighing, I throw my arms into my neck. "No real surprise here. Don't think anyone knows how to deal with someone like her."

Suddenly remembering how Yoru was supposed to bring food, I eye Shinri with worry. "Did you see Yoru on your way?"

His forest green eyes look away. "Yes. In fact, he was the one who brought me food. He sounded very…off…when he knocked on my door. I got curious, so I opened the door a little…and…well…he isn't doing too well. He looked just so lost, as if the last pillar that supported him just crumbled beneath his feet, leaving nothing but misery and fear."

 _Damn. I hope Rea didn't go too harsh on him. The poor kid is already struggling; he doesn't need this._

Shinri continues on. "I felt something was wrong, so I asked if he wanted to talk. But he said he didn't want to disturb a sick person, so he left. He already dashed out of the dormitory before I could stop him. It was useless to follow him and I didn't feel fit enough to deal to deal with either Rea or over-protective moms Noriko and Hanako."

I snort, but there is too less humor in the conversation to break into a smile. "Shit, I hope he doesn't get as bad as Masato. I don't think Yuyami can deal with two suicidal boys."

Shinri's eyes widen when I say it. "A-are you serious? Is Masato really that bad? I know he isn't himself after what happened to…you know…but I didn't think…"

Flinching back, I'm at a brief loss for what to say. But he continues staring at me, demanding answers. I can't find it in myself to lie. "He tried to drown himself earlier in the bathhouse. It's a good thing Yuyami and I were there to save him…"

He looks away, frowning deeply. "Jesus Christ…I'm happy Yuyami's around to keep him alive."

"Yeah…"

Awkward silence hangs in the air between us. Shinri cleans his glasses while I play with my hair. When he has put them back on, he carefully meets my eyes, almost as if asking for permission. "Um…I heard the next room has a library. Haven't seen it yet, but…"

I sort of get the awkward hint that continuing the conversation may not be ideal right now. I nod and try to give him a smile.

"Oh, I'll check that out then. Have geeking out here."

My joke is met with a chuckle. "Alright, see you later."

I leave the studio and the awkward air within behind and head for the last door.

This door is different. While all the other doors were simple wooden doors like you would find anywhere else, this door looks like it came from a royal palace, so grand and detailed is it. The wood is a beautiful deep color, with flowers and animals carved in it.

Already impressed by the door itself, I open it and step inside.

It's dark, but it's clear the original owners of this building did not want to miss out on any books. Bookshelves reach to the ceiling, stacked with all kinds of books. In the middle of it, there are a few tables and armchairs. Only one lamp illuminates the room and it is sitting right next to the armchair Isamu is sitting in.

He is quietly reading in a thick book, occasionally making notes in the notebook I gave him. There is an aura of concentration around him I don't wish to break, so I just grab a random book and position myself in another chair. He doesn't notice, or he just doesn't care.

It's a book about lock picking. And to be honest, it's more interesting than I thought. Soon, I'm so engrossed in it, I barely notice Hanako walking into the library and having to be shushed by Isamu. She leaves soon after, while I continue the chapter on the difference between newer and older locks.

Time passes, until my stomach starts screaming it's time for lunch. Isamu looks up annoyed from his book.

"Do you mind?"

"Yes, because I can _totally_ control my hungry body."

He just rolls his eyes and goes back to reading. I put my book aside on a nearby table and get up. Just as I crack my stiff shoulder, I see the book Isamu is reading looks old. It has a red cover and the pages are almost falling out of it. Curious, I approach.

"What are you reading actually?"

The eyes that look up from the words in black, almost faded ink are very annoyed. "Just a collection of 18-century poems. Now, do you have anything else to say or will you finally leave me alone?"

I shrug. "I'm pretty sure it's time for lunch. Are you coming?"

The answer is short. "No."

Sighing, I roll my eyes and decide he is a lost cause.

But just before I turn around, my eyes fall on the cover again. " _The Tragedies of History and Fall of Humanity."_

 _That's a strange title for a collection of poems. And looking closer, it seems more recent than I thought. Did Isamu…lie to me? Or is it just some pretentious 'gloomy' book that recently came out as a bundle of old poems? Rewrites and collections exist. Although…_

My stomach warns me again and I drop the subject. _I'll come back to it later…_

To my surprise, I'm pretty much alone in the cafeteria. Only Yuyami and Toshiya are eating. I go into the kitchen and make a sandwich for myself. I don't bother to go back and just eat in the kitchen, getting a glass of milk to go with it. When I finish, I look at the clock.

 _There is still quite some time before it becomes nighttime. Maybe I should do something._

* * *

FREE TIME

* * *

 **It's time for the FTE's again! Please leave a comment on which person you'd like to see more of! Stay tuned!**


	16. Chapter 2 part 2

**Enjoy some free time with Yoru and a...special...bonus scene. Beware of suggestive language and poses.**

* * *

FREE TIME

* * *

Before I can make an attempt to head out, I can't help but pick up Toshiya's and Yuyami's conversation. They don't seem to notice me, but I can still hear every word.

"I am…not sure…"

"Come on dude, it'll be fun! I already asked Tomoe and Yoru. It'll be fun!"

Yuyami's enthusiasm is met with more hesitation. "I am unsure how comfortable I will be with such a situation."

The taller boy shrugs. "Hey, it won't hurt to try, ya know? Besides, it will be all guys. No girls allowed!"

"That is not…look, I will need to think about this offer further. I will give you an answer when I am ready."

"If you say so. Just remember to make your answer before 5.00 pm. We're all meeting up in the bathhouse then. See ya!"

Yuyami walks away and after letting out a huge sigh, so does Toshiya.

 _Huh, so they're planning to do something in the bathhouse then? Might be a good idea to keep that in mind, don't wanna walk…in…_

My mind goes a little haywire for a moment. Luckily, I always have a hand to give me a good slap to refocus.

 _Let's keep that out of my head for now. Now, how shall I spend my free time? Talking wasn't so bad last time. Let's try that. Besides…who knows how long these people will last…_

First stop: The Kumachrome Shop. I wander out of the cafeteria and head straight for the neon-lit building. Kumachrome greets me with silence, as usual. I put a coin in the machine and watch as another prize rolls out. I take it and frown.

 _Manly body deodorant? Great, for once I have a gift that can be used on_ too _many people. I guess I'll just walk around and see whom I meet._

I exit the shop, looking around and thinking about how I can trick Noriko into doing my laundry again. To my surprise, I notice Yoru standing alone in the middle of the field, awkwardly looking around. When, he spots me, he smiles and walks towards me.

"Hey Yurika, how are you?"

"I'm fine, I bet I should be asking you that question."

He just looks at his feet as his smile slowly disappears. "I-it…well…Rea wasn't being very nice. And Mizuki said she wanted to go to her lab again…so, I don't really have anyone to talk to at the moment…"

The way he looks at the ground makes him look like a kicked puppy and it's really hard not to feel bad for him. _Should I…try to talk to him?_

I do and he immediately cheers up. We spend time chattering away our worries.

 _Now I should give him a present. Well, might as well try the deodorant._

To my utter surprise, the moment I pull it out, his red eyes sparkle with excitement. "Is that for me? Thank you!"

 _Huh…okay then._

Yoru's enthusiasm really shines in my conversation with him. By which I mean he does most of the talking.

"I started getting into astronomy when I was five. My parents live quite a bit away from the nearest village, so I didn't have as much hindrance from light pollution as other places. That's why the skies were always so bright and cheerful. A little bit like now."

For some reason, that little tidbit is interesting. "Wait, does that mean you can tell how far we are from the nearest city?"

His smile transforms into a pout, his white hair bouncing as he crosses his arms. "I didn't say that." But then, his pose relaxes as he looks up to the sky as far as he can without blinding himself from the sun. "Although…the night sky here is clearer than when I lived in the city. Not that surprising, the facility is pretty far from the nearest place."

 _That's interesting…although, come to think of it, I could have figured that out myself._

I nod. "Makes sense. The people in the city probably don't want to be bothered by us. Not to mention, if this place was near even the smallest town, people would have caught on what is going on here. So wherever we are, we're too far from society to get help."

But Yoru cocks his head. "You don't know where the facility is?"

I realize my fuck-up a second too late. _Fuck! Can't let him know about my amnesia!_ "Oh, well, I pretty much slept through the ride and I didn't pay much attention when they told me. Haha, stupid, huh?"

My hasty explanation feels a bit forced, so I really do hope Yoru doesn't catch on. He still eyes my curiously, so I try to divert his attention by changing the topic.

"Wait, you first said you lived near a village, but then you said you lived in the city. Did you move or…"

It seems to work. "Yup, I moved to Kyoto about a year ago. My mom got a better job, so we all moved so she wouldn't have to travel two hours to get to work."

I wince. "Ouch, you pretty much left your friends behind like that. That must have been tough."

For a moment, I expect him to nod and reminisced about his former life. But to my surprise, he just shrugs. "Yeah, it was a lot of change. It came out of nowhere too. My mom just walked in the living room one day and said we were moving. I first thought I was dreaming. But she was very serious. Two days later, we're in Kyoto. It was weird for the first few days, but I adjusted pretty well. I just miss the bright sky we used to have. Kyoto has too much light pollution."

His answer is just a bit too casual for my taste. It's almost as if he doesn't really care that he had to leave his hometown behind.

"Do you miss your old home?" I decide to ask him. He looks away.

"…Sometimes. Like I said, I miss the sky. I couldn't continue astronomy while in the city. I just couldn't get a clear sight. On the other hand…"

A smile curls around his lips. But it is only for a moment, before it fades away again. "No, never mind. You probably don't want to hear all of that. I just gotta focus on the future."

I want to say something. Anything. But he flashes a smile as bright as it is fake at me. "Besides, aside from the 'game', I don't think this is too bad. I can make a whole lot of friends here. I just hope everyone survives…because I want to go out and have fun with everyone."

And I cannot argue with that.

 _Yoru is surprisingly more mysterious than I thought. He is definitely holding something back. I wonder what it could be. Aside from that, I think I learnt more about Yoru today._

We part ways soon after as I retreat back into my room. I take out my E-Book and read the new entry.

" _Yoru lived away from a village and thus had access to a bright sky since the age of five, where he picked up his love for astronomy. However, he moved to Kyoto about a year ago. Despite that, he seems okay with it, despite the fact he can't enjoy a beautiful sky anymore."_

After putting away my E-Book, I notice it's already around five.

 _Tsk, I doubt there is much time to ask anyone to spend time with. After all, it'll be dinnertime soon. Maybe I should go to the library, or boot up the computer, or—_

My train of thought is suddenly cut off when I remember another conversation from earlier that day. One I was never supposed to hear.

 _That's right, Yuyami's hosting a guy-only event in the bathhouse. Does that mean…are they planning…_

I'm honestly wondering why I'm still wearing my jacket when it's so hot in the room. Although, it could also be from the…curious…thoughts that are going through my head right now…

Realizing what I'm thinking about, I slap both of my cheeks. _No, I can't start thinking like that. It's rude and nasty. But…I'm honestly a bit curious too. Shouldn't I at least be checking if Yuyami's plan isn't a murder attempt in disguise? Or is that just my sorry excuse to be a pervert?_

My indecision burns in my body, tearing me in half. _I shouldn't be thinking of it, but I want to. It's rude, but is only a small check-in okay? Can I get away with just listening in, or should I go to bed and sleep off these thoughts like I usually do?_

And strangely enough, help comes from the most unexpected places. Because for some reason, a strange force compels me to take out the small plastic pink bean that has been sitting in my pocket for a while now.

 _Huh? The Queen Bean? Why did I keep this? Is it—?_

It calls out to me.

It tells me.

It urges me.

It needs me to go.

 _I need to go._

"I…NEED TO GO!"

-Some time later—

I'm standing in front of the entrance to the bathhouse. I hope no one saw me. I pray Rea didn't saw me.

With my ear to the door, I listen for any sounds in the dressing room. Nothing. They must be inside already.

Carefully, just in case someone is still in there, I gently open the door and peak inside. There are heaps of clothes on the benches.

 _Looks like my hunch was correct._

For just a moment, I stand still to realize what I'm doing. _This isn't right. This is bad. I still have time to get out of here and pretend nothing happened._

And for a second, I actually believe myself.

"H-HEY, WHERE ARE YOU TOUCHING!?"

"Come dude, relax. Don't be so on edge."

… _Oh who am I kidding?_

The door to the bathhouse itself may be closed, but its thin enough to hear everything. I gently sneak into the dressing room and press my ear against the door.

"Gentle! Gentle! Isamu, Tomoe, help!"

"Haha, got you there, Toshiya!"

"God, Yuyami, and here I thought you couldn't get even more childish."

"Oh come on, Isamu. Don't be such a party pooper. Join in!"

"The entire reason I'm here is because you told me the bathhouse would be empty now!"

"But we can't this with only three people! Tell him Tomoe!"

"…I could take the both of you on at the same time."

"Tsk, bragger."

"I yield Yuyami, I yield! Stop spraying me!"

"Jeez, you're no fun. All right, it's two versus one now! Isamu, grab yours! We'll take him down together."

"OH FOR FUCKS SAKE! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO? YOU CAN STICK THAT THING UP YOUR FUCKING ASS!"

…

…

… _Just a peak._

I silently open the door to a gap. My heart is beating fast, but my hand is as still as a mouse. And even if I made a bit of noise, Isamu and Yuyami are arguing so loud, any noise would be drowned out. I count to three in my mind…and look through the gap.

Toshiya is lying defeated on the floor, his slim body pretty much curled up at this point. His hair is wet and a huge mess. Tomoe is shaking his head at the arguing before him. If I thought he was ripped before, now I know even better. Defined muscles show his pure strength; with the abs of a bodybuilder and shoulders so broad I could sit on them. Isamu and Yuyami are arguing in front of him, the former holding onto the towel covering his privates, while the latter is holding…a watergun.

"Goddammit Yuyami, this is a bathhouse, not a playground! Take your stupid waterfight for another time!"

"Dude, waterfights are fun! It's not my fault neither Yoru or Shinri wanted to come and Masato is too unstable to be let near water!"

"Then why me? Why not trick Yoru or Shinri if you're clearly not bothered by tricking someone?"

"…Because tricking a sick guy and a naïve kid is low."

"…Alright, but even then—"

"Yoru…is not…a kid…"

"Well, he looks like one. Aw! Tomoe! What was that for!?"

"You're being an asshole again. Cut it out."

"Oh come on, I go through all the trouble—"

"Hey, watch where you-!"

BANG!

Yuyami loses his footing and slips on the wet floor. He looks surprised as he tries to grab onto Isamu's torso to keep him upright. Unfortunately, he fails to realize Isamu isn't that strong. He wobbles for a moment, but then the full weight of Yuyami's body sends them both crashing to the ground. Tomoe groans in annoyance as he watches them in a tangled heap on the floor. Yuyami slowly rises up, giving a few casual apologies.

 _Holy shit._

They are definitely positioned like in a yaoi manga. Yuyami is on top of Isamu, one hand near his head and a knee on the ground between his legs. Isamu tries to rise, but Yuyami's heavier body is in the way, so he just verbally chews him out, not realizing how the way they look is…suggestive. They're both even blushing, although for completely different reasons than you'd find in an erotica book. It's a blush more akin to how some people go red in the face when they're angry, or just embarrassed over falling over like that.

Isamu finally manages to push Yuyami far enough to start getting up.

"You know what? Fuck you and fuck off. I'm out of here."

Taking one last moment to admire Yuyami's athletic build and lustrous abs and comparing it to Isamu's skinny physique, I close the door and quickly but silently head out to avoid Isamu's wrath. I quickly head for the staircase and then for the cafeteria, where I try to catch as casual as usual. Despite my terrible blush, nobody in there seems to notice anything out of place. It helps Rea isn't here and Homura and Ekorin are busy cooking.

 _Wow…that was…something._

My heart is still racing and my mind is cluttered with dirty thoughts. However, I can think straight enough to take out the Queen Bean from my pocket. I take a long look at it, before I dunk it in the trashcan.

 _Let's forget that ever happened._

* * *

 **Random pervy fanservice scene that adds nothing to the plot? Check!**

 **I apologize for Yoru's short FTE. I'll try to make it a bit longer next time. Up next, Rea's FTE's! Unless I get enough other suggestions...**


	17. Chapter 2 part 3

**This took far too much longer then it needed to.**

* * *

" _Watch out, behind you."_

" _Oh god, it's those two, right?"_

" _What are they still doing here?"_

" _Terrorists shouldn't be attending school."_

" _Do you think they'll blow us up if they get mad in class?"_

" _Should we stop them?"_

" _Do you want to risk angering them? Who knows, maybe they'll stab you!"_

" _Yikes, let's stay away from them!"_

…

" _Even better, let's make sure they won't harm us."_

* * *

The morning announcement shakes me awake. For a moment, I just lie still, staring at the ceiling. _How…when did I go to bed? Jeez, is my amnesia getting worse? On the other hand…that's the third time I had a dream like that. Even if it's fussy…could it be a memory?_

My mind acting weird is honestly the scariest thing ever since coming here. Trapped in a detention center with no hope of getting out? I can deal with that. Weird robot bear forcing us to kill each other? That sucks, but I haven't died or snapped yet. My _own goddamn memory_ being in shambles and not knowing how or why? Fucking terrifying.

 _I've been here for a week and I haven't gotten any clue as to why I can't remember anything prior to coming here._

It makes me feel helpless. Knowing that I'm not a step further in discovering what happened to me.

Sighing, I rub my face into my pillow.

 _What am I going to do now? Who knows how long Monokuma will stay entertained before he introduces the next motive. And I can't even begin to think about where to start with solving the bigger mysteries here._

For a few more minutes, I lie in bed, my mind cluttered. _Where do I start? How do I even get the information I need? Is there a way to regain my memories? And if so…do I want to know what happened?_

But then, an image of Toshiya flashes before my eyes. And I remember our first conversation. How he explained to me what this place was. How I told him about my memory loss. And the thoughtful look on his face when I told him

 _That's right…Toshiya's the only one who knows…maybe I should ask him to help me. After all, blood phobia or not, he is the Ultimate Puzzler._

With that in mind, I finally manage to get out of bed. And at that moment, someone knocks.

"Coming, coming…"

The first thing I see when I open the door is purple. I slam the door shut.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck…"

"Yurika! Open the door!"

"I don't need you fucking lecturing me!"

"Jesus Christ, I'm just here to get you, considering how you're late. Again."

"What did I tell you?"

"Oh my…just open the door already."

Noriko's exasperation is what finally does it. I carefully open the door. I almost expect Noriko to throw a nasty fit the moment she sees me not showered and still in my dirty clothes, but she just crosses her arms.

"I just came here to get you and make sure you are…well…still alive."

The way her eyes briefly glance down…the way her stance seems a little too nervous…and the way her strong façade slightly breaks is what reminds me of Rea's words the previous day.

" _Oh Yurika, when will you stop oversleeping? Next time, you may be bleeding out in your room and no one will come because everyone will think you're still out like a little light."_

Even if that didn't happen, those words still cut me.

 _It's obvious Noriko thought the same thing…damn, now I feel guilty for oversleeping. Of course she is still on edge. Two people died under her watch. She doesn't want to make it three._

That's why I force myself to look at her. "I'm…I'll be right there."

She is silent for a moment. Then, her nose twitches and her face wrinkles in disgust. "Dear god…you know what, you know the way to the cafeteria. Go take a shower first. You reek. Wait, you still have all of your clothes on…don't tell me you sleep in them!"

I shrug. "It's not like I have a pajama or anything. Usually, I sleep in my underwear."

Noriko visibly cringes at the thought. "No wonder your clothes are so dirty. Put on something clean once you're done. I'll get you a proper nightgown."

Before I can disagree, she has already turned around and walked away. _Jeez, it's not like sleeping in your underwear is a crime. What else do you want me to sleep in? Nothing? I'd rather not in this place._

Still grumbling, I close the door and take off my shirt. I briefly sniff all of my clothes when I pile them up on the bed.

… _All right, she does have a point. I can't remember the last time I washed my bra. And my amnesia doesn't help._

The shower is definitely refreshing though, though putting on some clean clothes is a bit more difficult.

 _My spare clothes are dirty too and the only clean thing in my closet is that red dress. Fuck it, I'll put it on. I'll wash all of my other clothes later. Or I'll get Noriko to do it again._

Putting on the dress is…a whole new experience. I can only remember wearing a skirt with my school uniform. This is…a little tighter. Nevertheless, I do fit in it. Relieved, I start putting on my shoes when I pause.

 _Why is this dress in my room in the first place? I don't remember having it at all. Did the facility provide me with this extra dress for special events? Do the others have special clothes too?_

But then I glance at the clock and realize I don't want to keep Noriko waiting for longer than I already have. I quickly head out to the cafeteria.

As I walk down the stairs, I notice Rea isn't tied down like yesterday. Slightly worried, I hurry to the main building.

"SHE'S A BITCH AND BITCHES SHOULD BE COLLARED LIKE THE DOGS THEY ARE!"

"IF YOU WANT TO PISS HER OFF, GOOD LUCK! BECAUSE I'LL BE GONE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!"

Frowning, I open the door to the cafeteria. Homura and Yuyami are practically in each other hairs, shouting and threatening. Noriko and Hanako do their best to hold back Homura, while Tomoe stops Yuyami.

"Do I want to know what's going on?" I mutter.

"They're fighting about me, like usual. So romantic." Rea sighs blissfully as she watches Hanako desperately trying to get a grip on Homura without damaging her already skimpy clothes. Her so-called 'blissfulness' fades away when she sees my outfit. "Looking good, Yurika. Trying to impress someone?"

The fight begins the stagger as more people notice me in my dress. Rea grins in an alarming way.

"Do you need my help confessing your feelings? I'm not a matchmaker, but since ours is gone…"

Everything screeches to a halt. Rea ignores it.

"Aw, what's with that look? I'm just trying to help you know. Not my fault you guys are so prickly."

Noriko takes a deep breath, visibly annoyed and done with Rea's shit. "Rea, you are not helping anyone right now."

"What? I got glass master and airhockey to stop arguing."

"Rea…"

"Jeez, you guys really can't let go of things, can you? I'd advice you to do so, because the more you hold on, the harder it is to let go. If you guys are so devastated by Ainosuke's and Kikoi's deaths, then I can only imagine the shitstorm that will happen when the next one bites the dust."

Mizuki narrows her eyes. "You're talking as if you _know_ more people are going to die."

Rea immediately starts pouting. "Mizuki! I thought you were one of the smart and skeptical ones! Of course more people are going to die, that's the nature of this game! Would you be satisfied with only playing the demo of a video game? Of course not! Unless you are poor, you'd want to play the entire game!"

A nasty smile appears upon her face. "Besides, it'd be a waste if Monokuma set all of this up just to play a demo."

Her words are cold, terrifying and heartless. And yet, she smiles as if she had just told a hilarious joke. Everyone in the room is silenced by it. Just as Hanako starts to sputter out a response, Rea turns on her heels.

"Don't worry, I'll give you all room to think!"

The way she skips out of the cafeteria is almost unnaturally cheerful. And the silence she leaves behind is deafening.

"I told you we couldn't trust her." Homura suddenly says. "Now she is going to go on for days like this until someone snaps and kills her."

Yuyami glares back. "Last time I checked, it was Monokuma's motive that got people killed, not Rea."

"Why you—"

A chair scrapes over the floor. Isamu walks past me, face grim. "Rea is right. Someone is going to end up dead again. But it won't be me."

 _Yikes, looks like she did_ some _damage. Then again, Isamu was never the trusting kind._

"Regardless, fighting over Rea seems pointless to me." Mizuki suddenly speaks up. "All this time she has been all talk. She can talk all she wants, but we can choose to ignore her."

"Even so, she still might try and do something." Hanako points out. "She's like a bully. If she isn't given a reaction that pleases her, she'll just up the game."

Noriko sighs. "How about this, we agree that someone stays near her to make sure she isn't doing something dodgy."

Yuyami groans. "Do we have to? She got me into trouble with you last time I spend time with her."

"We can work in shifts. That way, no one has to stay with her _all_ the time." Noriko replies.

Shinri sighs from behind his mask. "The less we split up, the better I suppose."

Noriko nods. "If there are no objections, then it's settled. Who is willing to take the first turn?"

I'm not sure if I should be surprised or not, but Tomoe removes his hands from Masato ears and stands up. "Sure, I'll do it. Saved Masato from getting hysteric again, might as well do this too. Doubt she'd try anything with me."

Yuyami smiles and takes Tomoe's spot next to the biologist. "I'll cover for you. Go get her big guy!"

Tomoe rolls his eyes, huffs and leaves.

Now that Rea has been dealt with, tension slowly disappears. Some people, done with breakfast already, leave the cafeteria. I quickly grab breakfast before everyone is gone. Halfway through my rice I remember I still need to speak with Toshiya. I finish up as fast as I can and head out.

Before I can even begin to start searching for Toshiya, Noriko comes up to me, a bundle of cloth in her arms. She shoves it into my arms to shut me up when I protest.

"Hey, what—"

"Alright, so here is the plan. I discussed this with Ekorin and she insisted on giving you one of her nightgowns. Don't you dare disrespect her and cast it aside. I'm not your maid, so if you have no idea on how to wash it, then I'll teach you. Make sure you come showered and clean into the cafeteria every morning."

I roll my eyes, but take the bundle. "Yes mom."

Her glare is admittedly a little terrifying. "And what do you say?"

"…Thanks." I say as I look aside, too embarrassed to meet her eyes.

It's a good thing she seems satisfied with that. Although, just as she starts to turn around and walk away, I remember the dress I'm wearing and the pile of dirty clothes in my room.

"Oh, uh, wait!"

She turns back to me, eyes curious yet exhausted.

"This is a bit embarrassing…but my clothes…"

She sighs deeply. It's not a good sigh.

"Alright, we'll cut a deal for that. Come back to me later and I'll come up with a solution."

 _I guess I can't keep using the socialize technique anymore. Dammit._

But whatever she's thinking about, it's probably better than having to do work, so I just nod. She reaffirms my nod by giving a sharp nod herself and then she struts away for real.

All parts of my conscious screams to go find Toshiya, but the soft and delicate cloth in my arms reminds me that I should first stop by my room if I don't want to drop it and risk getting Noriko and Ekorin on my tail. So, suppressing a sigh, I head for my dorm.

When I'm done putting the nightgown on my bed and exit the room, I can finally focus my thoughts on finding Toshiya.

 _All right, where would he be? I'd say he's either in his dorm, in the library or investigating the facility. God, I hope it's not the latter._

I first try his dorm. And there must be a god out there to thank, because Toshiya opens immediately, pushing a string of hair from his face. "Ah, Yurika. What can I do for you?"

 _No more delay. No more waiting._

"I want to talk to you. About something important."

He is quiet for a moment. Then, his hand slowly goes through his hair. "Is it about…?"

I think he must be trying to tell me something, because he keeps rummaging through his hair.

 _Oh, he's asking me if it has something to with my head—with my memories._

"Yeah, it is."

He looks around one last time, then steps aside. "I-I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable by staying here, but I think…"

"…That your room is the safest place to carry this discussion. I get it, don't worry."

I step inside and he closes the door behind us. Toshiya's room is quite…elegant. He has an antique looking writing desk and a cabinet full of books. The walls are plastered with mahogany wood, though I suspect they only hide the solid concrete walls that separate the rooms. There is a nice looking chandelier hanging from the ceiling, bathing the room in a soft light. All in all, it looks like a pleasant room from a Victorian novel, sans the bars on the window.

I go to sit in one of the dark red fauteuils in the rooms. They're extremely comfy and I immediately wish I had one in my own room. _Come to think of it, why is my room so lackluster? Well, I guess it doesn't matter right now._

Toshiya goes to sit on the one across me. His grey eyes are set on me, worried but suspicious. "What do you wish to talk about?"

I can't find it in myself to look at him directly. My eyes glance at the decorative chess pieces on a shelf as I begin to talk.

"I have been having dreams lately. Though, they feel more like…memories."

"May I ask what kind of memories?"

"…I'm not sure. The first two were conversations between me and…some other person. Every time they talk, it feels like I'm going through déjà vu, like I've heard the words before. But just before I put the pieces together, everything…becomes blurry."

Toshiya puts his hand to his chin, thinking as he murmurs softly to himself.

"This person…can you describe them?"

… _I wish I could._

"No. Not even their voice. Their words go through my head, but I can even make out whether their voice is deep or high. And I don't have a clear image on them either. I don't even know their gender."

"What were you two talking about?"

It starts to feel more like an interrogation than a simple questioning, but I go along with it anyways.

"The first time…we were introducing ourselves. I didn't catch a name, but they said they had a generic name."

"It could be a common name." Toshiya thinks aloud "And what was the topic of the second conversation?"

"…The person seemed upset...and they asked that if I were to die, how I'd do it." For some reason, as I say that, my heart begins to ache. As if I'm being reminded of something sad. It only serves to harden my resolve.

"…Did you have any more conversations with them after that?" Toshiya asks gently.

I shake my head. "No…"

For a moment, it's silent. I'm not sure whether Toshiya is waiting for me to go on, deep in thought or afraid to ask the next question. Finally, he opens his mouth.

"Are you…okay with me asking what your third dream was?"

For some reason, I want to say no. I was so caught up with speaking with Toshiya that I didn't realize just how much of a bad vibe that last dream gave me. It felt…threatening. Painful. Fearful.

"I…I was…"

 _I can't._

"…No, I'm sorry."

Silence hangs in the air as he pounders over my answer for a minute. Then, he gives me a small smile.

"It's okay. You can talk about it another time."

And yet, despite his encouraging words, I feel like I'm drowning in darkness and insecurity. Toshiya, seeing I'm still upset over it, decides to change the topic.

"It's obvious this person was very important to you. They are both important enough to be erased from your memory and important enough to you to start remembering them."

I nod idly. "So, if they're that important to me…maybe they are part of the reason why I'm here. Any idea what kind of role they could have filled?"

Toshiya sighs and shakes his head. "As of right now, I do not have the necessary clues to have any kind of reliable theory. We could make attempts at guesswork, but I do not believe we will find an answer to your question right now. Perhaps if you gain more lost memories and we learn more about our location and this killing game, we could solve these mysteries."

 _Dammit…I really hoped Toshiya could pull up a great theory…but maybe we do have too much of a lack of clues. I guess I should start writing down my dreams…_

"Thanks for your time Toshiya." I sigh. "I'll see if I can find more hints about the school and such."

Even though he doesn't say a word, he still looks disappointed. Like the gentleman he is, he opens the door for me when I leave his dorm and thanks me for coming to him. I just nod back.

 _Well, that was depressing…maybe I could find someone to cheer me up. Maybe I should talk to Homura, or Yoru, or Hanako…_

I keep thinking as I enter the Kumachrome shop and roll another coin in the Monomachine. Somehow… _somehow…_ a squeaky rubber dog toy duck rolls out. I just stare at it for a moment before I pocket it because fuck it – might as well give it to someone.

As I step out of the Kumachrome shop to survey who would be a good choice to give this rubber duck to, Noriko suddenly walks towards me.

 _I doubt she'd like a dog toy…but hey, might as well give it a shot!_

But she cuts me off the moment I try to open my mouth.

"There you are. Hurry up, we don't have all day, and Tomoe is growing angrier by the minute."

I blink confused. "What?"

She rolls her eyes. "As compensation for borrowing Ekorin's nightgown and having me do your laundry, you're watching over Rea for the rest of the day."

"Wait, hold up, what the fuck?" I step back, raising my hands in defense. "That wasn't in the deal."

"I told you I'd come up with a solution. But I realized that if I continue to do every single thing for you, you wouldn't do anything on your own. Perhaps Rea can convince you to be more active – in her own way." Noriko says, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, fuck that. I'm not doing that."

I'm about to nope the fuck out of here, when Tomoe appears, holding Rea above his head and cursing even more than usual.

"I've fucking had it with her for today. Now she's your problem."

He unceremoniously drops her on the ground and leaves. Rea softly whines. We ignore her.

"No."

"If you don't, then fine. You can wash your own clothes."

We stare each other down hard, as knights on top of a hill, as cowboys in a duel, as rival gangsters in a back alley.

… _Noriko you fucking bitch._

My resolve crumbles beneath my feet.

"One hours max. I want clean clothes tomorrow morning." I grumble embarrassed.

Noriko stands her ground. "One and a half for drying."

The prospect of having to wear cold and wet clothes is far too unappealing to refuse.

"Deal."

"Deal."

Noriko walks away, leaving me with the devil herself.

"My, my, Yurika, what a pitiful display. Defeated by your own laziness."

I can't suppress the urge to sigh anymore. "Let's get this over with."

"Now _that_ is a far better attitude!"

I spend the next hour chasing Rea, trying to keep her out of trouble and wishing I'd never agreed to this. I wish I could say I grew a little closer to her, but then I'd be lying.

At some point, Rea steals the rubber duck out of my pocket. Despite the annoying sound it makes and way she keeps squawking it over and over, she seems happy, so I let her keep it.

"Aww, don't worry, I wasn't going to give it back anyways, so don't feel bad over it."

The two of us sit down on the grass. I hold my breath for what's to come. A minute passes by. Nothing happens. Thanking whatever god is out there for giving me a minute of peace, I sigh in relief.

Rea doesn't acknowledge my relief and instead absentmindedly plays with her new toy. I can only guess what she is truly thinking of right now.

 _She's probably conjuring up some sort of scheme to annoy us and drive us apart. Maybe if I distract her, the peace will last a little longer._

"So, what's the merit in annoying everyone?"

Rea looks up. "Hm?"

"You claim you say and do all kinds of annoying stuff because you're bored, but how does it _help_ you?"

For a second, Rea actually seems to be caught off guard. But then her usual smile returns.

"Well, it helps to relieve me of my boredom. Isn't that all the reason I need?"

I snort. "Yeah, as if. You're the ultimate strategist. There has to be something else to it. A motive you're keeping from everyone."

"You're flattering me." She grins.

I'm starting to get annoyed. "Is that it? Are you being annoying on purpose so you can keep quiet about yourself?"

Rea rolls her eyes. "Jeez, how stupid. Everyone is super strict on me now, how am I supposed to keep secrets if everyone is watching me all the time?"

 _She does have a point there._

"You're annoying because you want to rifle enough people up to kill each other." I try, hoping to get a reaction out of her.

She laughs. "And have them all come after me. You're hilarious."

 _There has got to be a reason._

"Then, you're annoying because you want people to underestimate you?"

This time, she gives me a long look. Only to burst out in laughter seconds later.

"Haha! This is why I like you best! Your need to know the truth is as endearing and hilarious as it is annoying!"

I huff. "Annoying, huh? That's rich, coming from you."

"Just because I make a few witty remarks doesn't mean no one else can do the same." She points out.

 _Maybe I should try this in a different way._ "If I fall in your favor so much, can't you just tell me? I mean, even if for some weird reason you're doing all of this just for 'fun', why not be upfront about it? Tell me, if you do have some depth to your character, then why won't you explain it?"

Almost immediately, I notice the rare silence that comes from her. She looks at me, her magenta eyes piercing me. Her usual smile has fallen and her brows are strangely frowned. And when she speaks, her tone is as cold as ice.

"I may like you the most, but I trust you the least."

Her sudden shift in tone is so out of character, I'm struck speechless.

The silence continues, until she averts her eyes and plasters a smile upon her face.

"Besides, our social rank isn't high enough to unlock my super-special sad backstory. So, if you want to know more about me, you'll have to hang out with me more~" She says in a sing-song voice.

I just stay quiet, watching her revert back to her usual self. _So she is keeping something from me…and according to her, for a good reason._

I think I learnt more about Rea today.

We spend more time sitting together, bantering, until Noriko finally releases me from this nightmare. I gladly take the chance to get the fuck out of there and head for my room. Despite my hurry, Noriko easily keeps up with my speed. I dump the dirty clothes in her arms as soon as I can.

"I hope you realize now that there is merit in learning to be responsible for yourself." Noriko says.

I slam the door in her face. At that moment, my E-book beeps. With a sigh, I pull it out of my pocket to read it.

" _Rea may have another reason for annoying everyone around here. When I asked, she laughed it off, telling me I was her favorite. When I tried to hook onto that, she told me she doesn't trust me. I wonder just what she knows…"_

Interacting with Rea has left me exhausted. So, I hang my dress back in my closet and dive straight into my bed.

* * *

 **All right, so a few little things. I realized that the way how Yurika is, she'd refuse to willing interact with Rea as much as possible. So, similar to DR2, I found a way for Rea's FTE without breaking Yurika's character.**

 **Secondly, I decided to use this chapter to let a little overhanging plot in. Always nice to have these weird dreams/memories get a bit more attention.**

 **Finally, I made a bit of a mistake with only having Yoru's FTE last chapter, as now I technically still have to do two more Free Time Events before the next half of the chapter. I could skip them, but if people want to have two more FTE's, I'll oblige. Also, I made a poll for the FTE's! Check it out!**


	18. Chapter 2 Free Time Events

**The last two FTE's before the plot thickens!**

* * *

 _Nothing._

 _There was nothing._

 _I'm drowning in nothingness._

 _No anger. No sadness. No pain._

 _Just…nothing._

* * *

I wake up with cold sweat. _W-what was that? That…was disturbing._ The feeling of…well…feeling nothing is pretty dawn scary. _Why am I remembering that? Why is that showing up in my dream?_

"…I have to start investigating. Right now."

To avoid Noriko's wrath, I first make sure I don't smell by taking a shower and putting on my new clothes.

 _I wonder what kind of crazy thing is going on in the cafeteria now._

As I approach the cafeteria, I fully expect the place to explode with arguments, swears and noise. But, to my surprise, it's silent. Dead silent.

Rea is still there, but half the class is glaring at her and Tomoe is watching her like a hawk. Homura occasionally glares at Yuyami instead of Rea, and he glares back. Noriko is trying to juggle watching Homura, Yuyami and Masato. The rest is silent, either unwilling or afraid to break the silence.

I don't know whether this is better or worse than yesterday. I notice Hanako filling up bowls with miso soup and stop by her to fill mine.

"You could cut the tension with a knife." I mutter to her.

Hanako winces. "Yeah…they're still fighting. But, at least they're not attacking each other…"

A chair scrapes over the floor. "I'm about to change that."

"Homura, no!" Noriko snaps at her. "It's doesn't matter how much you hate Rea, violence isn't going to solve our problems."

She cracks her fists. "It's certainly going to solve mine."

Yuyami immediately gets up. "Dude, you're acting like she's gonna care. Punch her all you want, but that won't shut her up."

"The only thing you will accomplish is rifling yourself up even more, which is exactly what a troll like Rea wants. You're setting yourself up for manipulation." Mizuki calmly says.

Homura glares at Rea for a moment, but then settles down. "Fine. But don't think you're off the hook, bitch. I've got my eye on you. The moment you do anything shady, it's lights out."

I am very tempted to shake my head in bewilderment. But, this has become normal for me.

"Jeez, what a mess." Hanako mutters.

"I'm surprise you're not trying to kick Rea." I quip.

"Believe me, I want to. But I've got better things to do right now. I'm leaving the threatening to Homura. I'll be fine as long as I don't get pissed."

"Aww, are you afraid of me?"

Hanako slams the bowl of miso soup so hard in front of Rea that its content splashes all over her.

"See, I've got better things to do, like replacing that bowl."

 _Well, I probably shouldn't argue with her._

Yoru, deeming it safe to speak up, asks: "does anyone have any fun plans for today?"

"Punch Rea."

"Homura!"

"Chill, Noriko, I'm joking."

Ekorin claps her hands together. "I know! We could have a ball tonight!"

Isamu raises an eyebrow. "A ball?"

"Yes! After seeing Yurika yesterday with such a cute dress, I asked around and learnt that everyone has formal attire. We could wear such attire to a ball we can organize. It will be delightful!"

Shinri's voice is muffled under his mask. "Absolutely not."

Yuyami rolls his eyes. "Ew, pass. Like I'm gonna go to some girly dress-up party."

"I think it's a good idea. We could certainly afford to release some tension." Toshiya smiles as he says it.

"Yeah, I'm not gonna bodyguard for that." Tomoe growls.

Murmurs fill the room. _A ball? Yeah, not for me. Dancing's too exhausting. Although, if we could get Kumachrome to cook for us again…_

The sweet thoughts of fresh, warm chicken nuggets are irresistible. I am getting hungry just by thinking about them. Which is probably a sign I should start eating breakfast.

"Alright, settle down everyone."

Noriko clears her throat as everyone looks at her. "I get everyone is a little worked up right now. How about we stall this idea until dinner? In the meantime, we can give it all a little thought. Maybe we won't set up a ball, but a party sounds fun. Let's think about this a little more and discuss it later. Everyone dismissed."

Some people are still grumbling, but at least everyone seems to be okay with stalling. As I eat my breakfast, more and more people leave the cafeteria, until I'm all on my own. Well, except for Noriko, who scolds me for not cleaning up my plate.

 _All right, if I want to start investigating, where should I start?_

The library seems the obvious choice. There are hundreds of books, and I'm sure I can find some information on it. So, my first stop is the library.

Rows upon rows of books line the walls and bookcases create almost a labyrinth of wood and paper. I glance my eyes over the backs of the first row of books.

" _Murder in the Senate, Lullaby of Death, Sweet Dreams Sheep…why are there so many murder mystery books?_

… _Oh, duh._

I tear my eyes away and try another bookcase. This one seems to have books about survival. Books about tying knots, making fires, building traps, basic self defense, setting up camp…

For a moment, I consider opening a book about lock picking to find out what's behind those closed doors, but then I realize I'd probably just end up pissing off Monokuma. And that's the last thing I want.

 _Isn't there any kind of book about the history of this detention center or whatever?_

I stop in my tracks. _Of course not. Why would Monokuma leave behind such obvious clues? He already stocked the library with books about murder and survival, what's to say he didn't remove any he didn't like?_

"Jeez, what a waste of my time." It's better to report back to Toshiya and ask him for help. I leave the library behind me.

"Hope he's in there…" I mutter as I approach the dormitory.

My heart sinks as soon as I open the door. Rea and Mizuki are sitting by the table, the former looking bored at a military book and the latter reading through a scientific paper. As soon as Rea sees me, she brightens up and gives me a big smile.

"Yurika!"

"Nope, fuck this."

I close the door and go the other way. Like usual, the Kumachrome Shop is empty, safe for Kumachrome himself, looking just as bored as Rea did.

"Welcome to the shop, what the fuck do you want?"

I ignore him and instead roll a Kumacoin into the Monomachine. A safety pin rolls out. I stare blankly at it.

 _What the fuck? Okay, who in the world would like a safety pin?_

With the nagging voice in my head saying it probably means Noriko, I step outside and look around. Hanako seems to be free of her duty and jogs around, Noriko takes the time to practice dance moves and Yuyami is napping in the sun.

I'm almost tempted to head for Noriko when someone slings an arm around my shoulder.

"Hey nerd, whatcha doing?"

Homura gives me a grin. One that says trouble is coming.

"Not much, maybe talking to someone."

"Boring."

Just as she lets go, something in my head reminds me of a fact. _Don't punkers use safety pins in their clothes?_

"Would it still be boring if I were talking to you?"

"Eh, probably. But if you're that desperate, then at least choose a cool gal like me."

 _Well…might as well give it a try._

"Accepted."

She flashes me a grin. "Come on, let's shred some air guitars or something."

We spend the time listening to rock music in the recording room and playing air guitars. Ekorin comes in once to complain about the noise and our barbaric choice in music. Homura just shrugs it off. I think we have become a little closer.

 _I should probably give the safety pin now._

When she takes it, she bursts out laughing. "I don't know whether you're a genius or ignorant. I'll go with genius for now."

 _Nice, she likes it!_

When we take a breather from our made up concert of rock and metal, I decide to just go for it.

"So, uh, how did you become a glassblower in the first place? It's not exactly the first thing I think of when I at look at you."

Homura looks at me in amusement. "Are you dissing my style?"

"No, not really. But I get more of a rocker vibe from you than a glassblowing vibe."

She snorts. "I'm disappointed the fire motif isn't tipping you off. But, even if it didn't, my hobby doesn't dictate my clothing style. And I have more than one hobby."

I eye her interested. "What more do you do then?"

"Eh, not much. I play air guitar, do a bit of karaoke, listen to rock, rebel or hang out with my gang…"

"You have a gang?" _I don't know if I should be surprised or not._

"Yup." She laughs. "But we're not yakuza or anything. We just come together, complain about society, eat some chips, laugh and occasionally group up to protest."

I cross my arms, but keep a cheeky grin. "Peaceful protests, I hope. Or is that why you're here."

"In a nutshell, pretty much. We usually have very peaceful protests, the worst thing I got was a fine when I tried to take my top off during a protest, but aside from that, we were pretty chill."

Her casual grin slowly morphs into a frown. "But yeah, one time, it got out of hand. I guess I was more pissed off then usual. Ended up starting a few fights and destroyed property. Next thing I know, I'm behind bars. And I considered myself lucky. My friends also got arrested, but since they weren't 'talented', they didn't get the chance to undergo rehabilitation. They're either in jail or doing community work."

"Lucky you then."

The smile she gives me is sadder than her usual grin. "Well, so far, that 'luck' hasn't gotten me very far, now has it?"

I can't muster up to return the smile. "Yeah…"

The two of us sit in silence. It…feels a little unnatural, considering just how loud of a personality Homura has. It compels me to say something, anything.

"Do you…miss them?"

She glances over to me, but then turns her eyes away. "How can I not? They were my family in times my own family failed me. So yeah, I miss them a lot. But, if I'm really honest here, I'm happy I am the one who ended up here."

Chuckling when she sees my look, she explains. "I'm not saying I want to fucking die here. It's just that if any of us had to go to this place to die, I'm glad it ended up being me instead of some of the others. Those pussies wouldn't last a second out here. I at least got a better chance here. Not that anyone deserves to die, but you know…"

I smirk. "I wouldn't be so sure about Rea."

"Oh, can it already. Sure, I'm pretty explosive on her ass, but not even she truly deserves death. Humiliation? Sure, but death? I'm not that vengeful. And I shouldn't be."

Defeated, I roll my eyes. "Well, if the queen of getting angry says so, I guess I should obey to her wishes."

She lightly punches my arm. "Bitch, please."

We laugh together. It feels nice. I suppose Homura is really just happy her friends are in safety. I hope my friends are in safety too. If I have them…

 _There is more to Homura than I thought. And she is leaving me with more questions than I think she realizes. Still, I think I have learnt more about Homura today._

We end our conversation with a few more light punches and some friendly curses before I head down to the dormitory.

To my annoyance, Rea is sitting near the door to the dormitory, weaving and grinning at me when she sees me. I immediately turn around.

 _Let's see if I can get something else from the machine._

I roll in another coin and out pops a nice-smelling body lotion.

 _Lets see…there are multiple people I can give this too. I'll just step outside and see whom I run into._

So, I exit the Kumachrome shop and look around. And, well, I don't run into someone. Someone run into me.

"OUT OF THE WAY!"

"AHHH!"

CRASH!

"Not again…"

"That's my line…" I mutter.

Hanako looks up sheepishly. "Sorry about that. Should have seen where I was going."

"It's okay. I was kinda hoping to run into someone, but not like this…"

She ponders for a moment and then beams. "That's right! You usually try to find someone to talk to during this part of the day!"

 _Has that become a habit already? Sheesh, to think I used to be an introvert._

I don't get any chance to make a point though, because Hanako suddenly lights up. "That's right, we still have the training pact! We haven't even truly started on that yet! Now seems like the perfect time, so let's start!"

"Wait, no, don't—"

It's hopeless. Hanako hauls me to my feet and immediately drags me away to begin our workout. Before I know it, I'm running around in circles, desperately trying to catch my breath. No matter how bad I'm doing though, Hanako still cheers me on. I suppose we got a little closer together.

"Alright, I think we should call it a day."

"Thank fuck…" Is the last thing I say before I faceplant into the ground. Hanako giggles. She offers me a bottle of water and I gratefully take it. When I finish drinking, I decide now is the time to give her the body lotion.

"Aw, that's very sweet. Thanks!"

 _Well, looks like she's happy._

As I revile in the fact I can finally rest, Hanako giggles as she gives me some advise.

"You still need to do a cool-down before you go and take a shower. If you don't, you'll have more muscle strain in the morning. Don't forget to drink lots of water too!"

I give her a light smile. "You're really mothering, eh? Didn't really expect that."

She shrugs. "Eh, if most people can't take care of themselves, I guess I'll just have to step in. I'm used to it anyways, so it's not much of a deal to me.

 _Oh?_

"Used to it? Did you take care of others before you came here?" I ask her, a hint of curiosity in my tone.

"Yeah, that's what happens when you have three younger siblings. Mom and dad both work, so I have to take care of the brats when they're not home. I'm also expected to go to my grandma whenever I can, since she's too old to fully take care of herself. And dad had some health problems in the past, although he's been getting better."

 _Wow, she's taking care of three siblings, her grandma, and herself? No wonder she often sounds so mother-like. Talk about busy._

"No wonder you had no time to join the track team. School and homework already take a lot of time, I can't imagine having to take care of other people on the side too!"

Hanako laughs. "Yeah, I'm still surprised I managed to get this far with just running doing daily chores. Guess I just won the lottery on that one."

Remembering something she said to me earlier, I frown at her. "But how did you make time to get not one, but two part-time jobs?"

Her smile leaves her face. "Like I said, my father got health problems a few years back. A total burnout. He had to stay home, but like me, he hates doing nothing, so he starting taking care of my siblings. That gave me time enough to try my hand at working jobs. Y-you know, for the future!"

"You're very responsible." I note. She immediately brightens up when she hears that.

"Thank you! That means a lot to me! I love helping around, so I try to help everyone here as well, even that jerk Rea, unless she is planning a prank again, and it's really nice to hear someone call me responsible! Can you even believe the nervous of some people? Calling me some ditsy shojo protag-fuel, hmpf, I'll show them! I've done more at my age than they did, even with my bright pink hair, which I can't do anything about. It's not my fault everyone calls me cute!"

 _Heh, now she's just like when we first met again. Wanting to be seen as more than her looks. I guess I can sympathize on that front._

"If I'm totally honest, I'm far from responsible. But, if there is one advice I can give, is that you shouldn't overdo it. You already work hard, don't do more than you're able to." I tell her with sincerity from the bottom of my heart.

She blinks at me a few times, but then she nods. "Yeah! I've seen it myself, overworking isn't good. But, that's why I run too. To clear my mind and train my body."

"That's great, but resting on the couch is also really relaxing."

"Not when there are three tiny demons screaming for you."

We laugh, and even though I feel like there is more to this story, I decide to let it rest for a while, like my body. I think I have learnt more about Hanako.

We tell each other goodbye after my cool-down, and I head for the dormitory to take a shower. This time, Rea is no longer there to annoy me. I head into my room and before I head into the shower, I take out my Handbook.

 _Homura used to hang out with a group of other rebels and occasionally have peaceful protests with them. However, one time, it got out of hand, with ended with her coming here. Despite that, she is happy she is the one to be stuck in this death game. She clearly cares a lot for her friends._

 _Hanako is very responsible because she had to take care of her three siblings and her grandma. She loves helping people and likes to be complimented for her responsibility. However, she is so busy, I'm worried she'll end up burned out, like her father._

I close the Handbook and take my shower. When I turn off the shower to dry myself, the monitor switches on. Monokuma beams at us.

"Hello my sweet inmates. I have something very important for you! Please head for the gym straight away! Make sure you aren't late~"

 _I wonder what he wants now…_


End file.
